Deviance from the Norm
by Ninetri9
Summary: First Fic. Travelers from alternate worlds come to Tokyo3 to aid the pilots in their fight against the angels. AS pairing, as well as HT, and MK LO AND BEHOLD, I HAVE RETURNED
1. Observation Begins

**Deviance from the Norm**

Chapter 1: Observation Begins

Hello everyone, and welcome to my first fanfic. This is also my first time doing this so I'm sort of playing this by trial and error. For those who wish to submit reviews, please don't be super critical, this is my first time. My story is going to take place just before the twelfth angel. This fanfic is going to be an AsShin pairing, with HikTou as well as MisKaj. Not sure if I'll pair Rei off, but time will tell.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own NGE, Gainax does, but I do own the characters I make up in this fiction.

Now, on with the show…

Key:

""-speaking

_Italics_-thoughts

Katsuragi Residence

It was another average morning in the apartment of Misato and her dysfunctional family. Asuka was first in the shower, Shinji was cooking breakfast, and Misato was having her third beer of the day.

Misato was currently trying out the soup that Shinji had made and was pleasantly surprised.

"Hey Shinji-kun, is this a new recipe you've made?"

Shinji replied cheerfully, "Yeah, it's a new fish flavor. It's a gift from Ritsuko-san."

_It's nice to see Shinji so cheerful_, Misato thought, _it's a big change from his usual depressed self_

Her thoughts were then interrupted by a loud scream coming from the bathroom. The source was soon made clear as Asuka came out of the bathroom clad only in a red towel.

"TOO HOT" she yelled, to which Shinji said his trademark "Sorry"

Asuka groaned as she began to berate him, "Why do you always apologize for things that aren't your fault?"

Shinji replied again, "Sorry", which did little to ease the red-head's temper.

Again, Asuka explodes, "You see, you did it again!"

While this was going on, Misato was having another beer.

_Here we go again, arguments and complaints from Asuka_

In an attempt to soothe the beast's temper before it got it became too much, she explained, "Its Shinji's way of expressing himself"

Now the attention of the red head turned on Misato, "How can you just accept him as he is? He's pitiful, a spineless worm! You've been going easy on Shinji, you know that?"

Asuka then began to berate their guardian for being irresponsible and hypocritical.

While this was going on, Shinji couldn't help himself from looking over Asuka's towel clad body.

_A perfect figure, a beautiful face, and a temper to match her hair._

Shinji couldn't stop the slight flush that appeared while looking. He knew being caught looking would bring a fate worse than third impact upon his head, so he immediately turned away. Asuka noticed this and came to an accurate conclusion.

"PERVERT!" she screamed and than slapped Shinji across his face while he tried to explain himself

Misato chuckled as she interjected, "He wouldn't be looking if you didn't come out like that, unless you actually want him to."

At this Asuka and Shinji turned a bright red and began stumbling as they tried to get their guardian to stop laughing.

And so, the morning concluded, Misato and Shinji bearing with the obnoxious complaints of the third member of the household, Misato teasing the other two, and the children arguing.

Unbeknownst to the inhabitants of the apartment, however, three persons in black hooded coats were observing them from the rooftop of another building. Despite the summer-like heat, none of them seemed all that uncomfortable.

The one on the right spoke in a deep sorrowful voice that still had a cheerful quality to it, "Those are two of our targets right?"

"Hai, Asuka Langley Sohryu, the Second, and Shinji Ikari, the Third", the one on the left replied in a child-like voice that had an odd echo to it.

The middle one than asked in a voice that could have sent a chill down even Commander Ikari's spine, "Have the others been found?"

Unfazed by the voice, the one on the right picked up his cell phone and pressed a button for speed dial.

"I'll find out, but I do know that the First is under observation by the Lieutenant"

He then put the phone to his ear as he waited for the other end to pick up.

The young one than asked in his doubled voice, "It can't be that hard to find people here, we can just ask around and…"

"We are not to expose ourselves just yet, we must stay undercover." the one in the middle replied in a monotone.

The one that had been on the phone hung up after his quiet conversation, "The others have been found and are under observation, chief"

The leader nodded and motioned with his hand to leave, "Then make sure the others are ready."

The other two nodded and faded from sight, leaving the leader alone on the roof to observe the unsuspecting people below.

Well, I hope you liked this, and I'm sorry for its shortness. Send in reviews and I'll get back as soon as possible.


	2. Tests and Surprises

Chapter 2: Tests and Surprises

Disclaimer: Once again, I DO NOT own NGE, Gainax does, I do own all original characters though.

Nerv Headquarters

After breakfast at the apartment, the inhabitants left in order to head to Nerv for syncro tests. Currently, Asuka, Shinji, and Rei are in their respective test plugs undergoing syncro testing.

In the command room, the bridge crew is going about their respective tasks to ensure the survival of the human race.

Makoto noticed that Misato seemed a bit dazed and decided to inquire about it, "Hey Misato, are you okay? You seem tired"

"Yeah, I've had some busy nights" Misato replied in an evasive voice.

Ritsuko, the faux blond doctor, spoke quickly, "Kaji keeping you up late?"

"SHUT UP" Misato yelled back as the rest of the crew were laughing

Flushing, she attempted to change the direction of the current conversation by asking about the pilots.

"Hey, how are Shinji's scores?"

Maya pointed to the screen while replying, "Take a look for yourself"

Misato was surprised at scores she saw, _Wow, I hadn't realized that Shinji was improving so much. I hope this gives him some more confidence._

"Hey Rits-chan, open a channel to the pilots, okay?"

"Hey, Shinji-kun"

* * *

In the plug, Shinji lifted his head as though coming from a deep sleep and looked up eagerly at the communications screen.

"Misato-san, how are my scores?"

With a big grin, Misato gave him a thumb's up and said, "Very good Shinji, you are number one in scores."

At this, Shinji's face lit up with joy and pride, something that is rarely seen by anyone.

_I can't believe it, I'm the best, number one_

At the same time Asuka was fuming in her plug at the news.

* * *

Later, in the locker room, we find Asuka in her plug suit yelling out her frustrations at being beaten by Shinji, "I can't believe it, I lost. It's really ticking me off at how easily he beat me"

She then to make increasingly sarcastic remarks about Shinji in a faux cheery tone,

"Oh wow, look it's the great Shinji Ikari, the best pilot of us all. No need to worry, Shinji will save us all from the Angels and protect all of humanity. It's the Invincible Shinji who's come to save us all!"

While Asuka was ranting, Rei had changed and was leaving.

"Good-bye, Pilot Sohryu" she said in her quiet voice, and closed the door behind her

When she left, Asuka punched the door to her locker, heedless of the pain it caused.

_I can't believe it; I LOST, me, the great Asuka Langley Sohryu. I can't lose, I won't lose, and I'll show them that I am the best. Even that baka, Shinji._

With that thought, she finished changing and left the locker room in an angry huff, unaware of the other presence in the room. That presence was another person in a black hooded trench coat, standing in the locker room unregistered on any of Nerv's hi-tech security systems. The person then pulled out a cell phone and pressed some buttons.

"Hey", the person called in a raspy voice of someone who can't breathe that well, "the Second just left, and she doesn't seem all that happy"

Nodding at whatever the person on the other end was saying, he replied, "Can't we do it now? There's a surprisingly low amount of security here. Uh-huh … yeah … oh … alright"

As he was about to hang up, he heard something that he couldn't believe, "WHAT, DURING the attack! Are you sure? Oh…Right…Sure…Fine, I'll be ready." with that he hung up and with a slight fit of coughing.

"Oh well, you can't have everything. Though I'm sure most of the other's won't like this plan either; we'll just make do."

One last cough and the shrouded man faded from sight.

* * *

Later

Riding a bus because Misato had to work late at Nerv, Shinji was smiling broadly. His head was still reeling from the news that he'd received earlier that day after the syncro tests.

_I still can't believe it, I'm the best_

He couldn't stop the smile on his face as his euphoria from earlier still flowed through him and his confidence swelled.

"Be careful, overconfidence will lead to your downfall if you let it affect your judgment, Ikari"

Shinji looked up in surprise and looked to his right at the person who spoke. Next to him sat a man, shrouded in a hooded black coat, who had not been there before.

He asked in a scared voice, "Um, w-w-who are y-you?"

Turning to the scared boy, the man replied in a neutral voice, "My name is of no importance at this moment, but you should know that I wish to be of assistance to the pilots who work for a false cause."

Shinji didn't find much comfort in this, partly from the fact that he couldn't see the speaker's face andpartly from the factthat the person appeared to be talking nonsense.

_Who is this person, and what is he talking about?_, he thought

"The next Angel comes tomorrow, but instead of just the three of you, some of my associates will be there as well"

Surprised, Shinji was about to ask what he meant when he was distracted by the bus driver calling out the next stop. When he looked back, he was again shocked, this time by the fact that the person he was talking to had disappeared.

_What was that all about?_, he thought

Chapter 2 is all wrapped up. Please send in reviews.


	3. Attack pt 1

Chapter 3: Attack pt 1

Disclaimer: Once again, I must say that I do not own NGE, I own all original characters. Also, any resemblance to other characters or real live people is purely accidental

Now on with the show...

Katsuragi Residence

Later in the evening, Shinji was lying in his room listening to his SDAT. Asuka had already gone to sleep right after dinner. He could tell that she was in a bad mood and decided to not bother her. While listening to his music, his thoughts went back to that of the conversation he had with the hooded man.

_That was really weird, weirder than usual._

This was something, since he has seen many strange things as a pilot of an Eva.

He got up, deciding to talk with his guardian about what had happened. Leaving his room, he found Misato in the living room drinking beer with her penguin Pen-Pen. Going up to Misato, he cleared his throat to get her attention.

Looking up, Misato asked, "Yeah Shinji-kun, what's up?"

Shinji took a deep breath and launched into the tale of his encounter on the bus. After recounting, Shinji waited nervously for Misato to say something.

After a moment of quiet, Misato asked, "Did you see this person's face?"

"No, he was wearing a hood"

"And he said an angel would attack tomorrow?"

"Hai"

Misato leaned back as she thought over this new information with a half empty can of beer in her hand.

"Well", she began, "we can't take the risk, I'm going to tell Ritsuko about this. You are going to go to bed and try to not to think too much about this, okay?"

"Hai"

At this, Shinji left to his room, leaving Misato while she picked up her phone to call the doctor.

After a few moments Ritsuko answered, "Hello?"

"Hey Rits, its Misato"

In an annoyed voice Ritsuko answered, "What's this about, I'm very busy"

Misato then recounted the strange tale that Shinji told her.

After finishing, Ritsuko said, "Interesting, the agents following Shinji did report that he spoke with such a person"

"Did they find out who he is?" Misato asked.

"No, there is something strange though. They all reported that no person of that physical description neither entered nor left that bus by the normal way."

Misato frowned at this revelation while chugging the rest of her beer, "What if he changed clothes while on the bus? He was disguised, so they may not have been able to identify him."

"No, you misunderstood; only children were on that bus. None of them could have been that person"

Taking in this new information, Misato began pacing while Pen-Pen watched her, "So where did he go then?"

"To that, even I don't know"

Misato decided to ask the question that was front most on her mind.

"Do you think he was telling the truth about an angel attacking tomorrow?"

Ritsuko sighed, "I don't know, no one has ever been able to predict when and where an angel will attack. We're just going to have to wait and see."

After saying good night, Misato hung up and sat down heavily on the couch. Picking up a new beer and opening it, she let out a sigh. Reaching down to stroke Pen-Pen's head she asked, "Since when had my life become so messed up?"

"Wark?"

* * *

Meanwhile, up on the rooftop over looking the Katsuragi apartment, two people were having a conversation like Misato and Ritsuko were.

The cold monotone voice of the leader asked, "Has all been prepared?", while reading a report that was given to him.

The person next to him replied, "Hai". He then turned to face the leader and said, "Also, I have gotten the papers for a transfer to the children's school", and held out the said documents.

Nodding, the leader replied, "Have Sai Batu and Keevan Markan transferred to their school as soon as possible."

"At once, sir", the other replied with a slight bow. With that, he faded from sight, leaving the leader to keep watch over the apartment.

* * *

The Next Day

It was early morning and Shinji was cooking breakfast as usual, but wasn't actually all that focused on his task.

"HEY, BAKA"

Startled, Shinji turned to find Asuka staring at him.

"W-what is it?" he asked in a small voice.

"You're letting breakfast burn you lazy idiot!" she retorted angrily.

Turning sharply, Shinji realized this and set to try to save it. After a somewhat burned breakfast the pilots left for school, Misato having already left earlier for Nerv. On the walk to school, Shinji let his thoughts drift back to the conversation on the bus from last night. He was so distracted, that he failed to notice Asuka trying to get his attention, and only noticed after she crushed his foot.

Holding in a scream of pain, he turned to the redhead, "What is it, Asuka?"

"You were ignoring me, dummkopf"

"Sorry"

Sighing in exasperation, Asuka then asked, "What the hell you thinking about?"

Turning away from Asuka, Shinji began to ask himself whether or not to tell her what he told Misato. He knew that either she would laugh in his face, or she would berate him for believing a complete stranger.

While Shinji was debating with himself, Asuka looked at him with an annoyed look on her face, _Shiest what is with this idiot, can't he answer a simple question?_

Her thoughts were then interrupted by Shinji, who tapped gingerly on her shoulder.

"What is it?"

"Um, we're going to be late for school"

Asuka quickly glanced at her watch, "Shiest, come on baka-Shinji, move your lazy ass!"

Grabbing his left arm, she proceeded to drag her coworker across the pavement to school. Upon arrival at the school gates, she released her death grip and set off to look for her friend Hikari Horaki, leaving Shinji leaning against a wall trying to catch his breath.

"Yo Shinji-kun, what's up?"

Shinji looked up to see his two friends, Touji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida. Giving a weary smile, he replied, "Not much, how are you guys?"

Kensuke was holding the camera he carried everywhere and was recording everything in sight when he noticed Shinji's disheveled state.

"Let me guess, the devil's being a pain in the-"

"A pain in the WHAT, stooge?"

Kensuke quickly turned to find a fist slammed into his face. Touji and Shinji helped their friend to his feet while backing away from Asuka, who had overheard Kensuke talking, and looked ready to pound all three of them.

"A-Asuka", Shinji stammered, "um, we were just…"

He was saved from having to give an explanation by the bell signaling the start of school, and, in the stooges' case, a place of salvation from the temper of the fiery headed girl.

In the classroom, the teacher was making an announcement to the class, "Well, class, it looks like we are going to have two new students joining our class by the end of week"

Everyone looked up in slight surprise. New students were rare since people left more often than they came. While the teacher resumed his lecture on the Second Impact, everyone was having discussions about the news.

* * *

A/N-Um, for all IM chats I made the following screen names:

Shinji-Lost1

Touji-SportStar

Kensuke-1Ltfreak

Asuka-RedChamp1

Rei-Rei

Hikari-Rep

* * *

1Ltfreak- New students? That's new.

SportStar- Yeah, I hope that they'll be cute girls

Lost1- Better not hope too much, they might be boys

SportStar- Aww don't ruin our hopes

1Ltfreak- Yeah, you may live and work with beautiful women, but some of us need female companionship

Lost1- It's not all it's cracked out to be

RedChamp1 has entered the chat room

Rep has entered the chat room

SportStar- Oh no, the devil incarnate appears

RedChamp1- Shut your face stooge or I'll do it for you

Rep- Why can't you guys get along?

1Ltfreak- No way am I being friendly with the devil-incarnate

SportStar- Me neither

Lost1- …

SportStar- Hey Shinji, you're on our side aren't you?

1Ltfreak- Unless the devil's already taken his soul!

Lost1- Can't you guys stop making fun of Asuka?

At this everyone's eyes bulged slightly.

1Ltfreak- what?

SportStar- Heh, didn't know you two were like that

RedChamp1- Watch your toungue stooge, or else you lose it!

Inwardly, however, Asuka was slightly surprised. She has never remembered a time when Shinji defended her like that. At that moment however, the lunch bell rang and everyone left to find someplace to eat.

Outside on the roof of the school, the three boys were having a talk

"What was that all about?" Kensuke asked.

"Yeah, since when did you stick up for devil girl?"

Shinji flushed slightly as he answered, "I was just getting tired of have you guys making fun of her. She's not that bad once you get to know her better."

"So, as I thought, you like her, huh?" Touji asked bluntly

Blushing fiercely, Shinji retorted, "It isn't like that!"

In his head he was having some difficulty collecting his thought. He did have a crush on Asuka, but would never admit it to his friends let alone Asuka. If she knew, all that would remain after she was through with him would be a smear on the wall.

The three were interrupted by a commotion that was going on by the front gate. Going over to look, Shinji was surprised to see someone apparently fighting Asuka. Even more surprising, was that the person fighting her was wearing a hooded coat just like the man on the bus did.

* * *

Earlier

Asuka and Hikari were at their usual spot under a tree having lunch and gossiping.

Hikari decided to broach a subject she'd been meaning to with Asuka, "Hey Asuka-chan?"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"I was wondering, what do you think of Shinji-kun?"

Choking on her lunch, Asuka was greatly shocked at the question asked of her, "What do you mean?"

Holding up a hand to ward her anger, Hikari said, "Do you like Shinji or what?"

"Or what! No way could I ever like him!"

"You would let your pride blind you to the reality within your heart?"

Startled, the two girls jumped up to see a man in a hooded black coat appearing form behind their tree. When he spoke, it was the same as the one who spoke before, a young man's voice, "You wouldkeep denying the truth that is before your eyes?"

Stepping forward, Asuka demanded, "Who the hell are you and what are you talking about?"

Holding his hands up, the man replied, "Introductions are irrelevant at this time, Asuka-chan. And besides,you'll find out more later on."

Shocked Asuka asked, "How'd you know my name?"

The man turned to leave without answering.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!"

He continued to walk, ignoring her shouts. Angry, Asuka ran right up to the hooded man, intent on ripping him apart. Reaching out, she was about to grab hold of him when he grabbed her wrist. Attempting to break free, Asuka twisted her arm out of his grip and kicked out at the same time. She was again blocked, and flipped onto her back. By then, a small crowd had formed around the two of them, including a worried Hikari.

Sighing, the man asked, "I'm leaving, can you not try making such a fuss?"

Angrily, Asuka replied, "Like hell I am!" jumping back to her feet.

She then threw a few punches, which were in turn blocked or dodged by the person in black. Frustrated, Asuka attempted to grab and throw him. What happened next greatlyshocked everyone. The man somersaulted over her head and grabbed her in a headlock with no realintent on letting her go.

Sighing, the young man said, "You really are a hot-headed, temperamental kid, huh?"

Shinji, who was looking from the roof, was worried for Asuka. He rushed down the stairs to give assistance to Asuka, leaving his friends watching the action below. When he got outside, he saw his worries were for naught, as Asuka was currently beating on the hooded man, who was now laying on the ground.

"That'll teach you to challenge the Great Asuka Langley Sohryu!" she proclaimed.

Groaning, the man slowly picked himself up, "Ow, ow. That is going to leave a monster mark." Waving his hand, he began to limp to the school gates, "Well, I guess I'll be leaving now…"

"Hey!" Asuka cried out, "Get back here!"

As she was about to grab him, the man faded from sight. When this happened all the students gasped and backed away, except Asuka. The rest of the day, all anyone could talk about was the mysterious man. There were quite a few stories flying around the school, with the school being haunted topping the list.

As school ended for the day, everyone was too scared of leaving by the front entrance. That is, everyone except Asuka and Shinji, whom had been dragged through the gates. The walk home was quiet. Shinji kept glancing towards Asuka, wondering how she was doing.

_I should ask her, but she might tell me to buzz off. Oh, what should I do?_

Drawing up his courage, Shinji took a deep breathe and asked, "Um, Asuka? A-are you o-ok?"

Asuka stopped and turned sharply to look at the frightened boy. Shinji noticed that she had a strange look in her eyes, different from what he normally saw.

"It's nothing" she replied, "I'm not used to people disappearing like that"

Shinji gave a faint smile remembering the look that was on her face when that happened. "It's just that I was worried that you were hurt in that fight"

Continuing to give Shinji a strange look, Asuka was opening her mouth to reply, probably with a sharp retort. At that moment however, the alarms went off. Both glanced at each other before running off towards Nerv, both thinking the same thing.

_Angel attack!_

Lovely, another chapter down. As promised, I'm making the chapters longer, so be happy. Please send in reviews andI'll get back as soon as possible,thank you!


	4. Attack pt 2

Chapter 4: Attack pt 2

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own NGE, Gainax does. However I do own any original characters in this fiction, and if the characters bear any resemblance to characters of other stories or in real life, they are purely accidental

Now, on with the show…

Nerv HQ

After the alarms had rung, all civilians had moved to the designated shelters, and Tokyo-3 was put into lockdown. At Nerv, the pilots had all suited up and were prepped for launch.

In the command center, the technicians were all working on identifying the new target (although, how they could mistake it for anything other than an angel is beyond me).

"Target is moving slowly at 2.5 kilometers per hour"

"Evacuation of the South District is nearly complete"

Misato entered the command center looking harried and disheveled.

"You're late" Ritsuko said disapprovingly.

"Sorry," Misato replied," what's going on? The observation center at Fuji…"

Aoba finished for her, "Didn't detect it. It just appeared suddenly above us."

Makoto then interjected, "Pattern Orange, no AT field detected"

Ritsuko asked in a tight voice, "A new type of Angel?"

Maya replied from her console, "MAGI are withholding judgement at this time"

Everyone looked to the screen to observe the images from cameras around the city. In the center of the main screen floated a large black and white striped orb.

"Damn, a situation like this and Commander Ikariis out!" Misato muttered

Outside with the unidentified object the three Evas were stationed awaiting orders. They were all positioned out of sight of the angel, Unit-00 equipped with a rifle, Unit-01 with a handgun, and Unit-02 with a Progressive Axe.

Shinji was sitting in his entry plug going over the words the stranger on the bus had told him. _He was right. I wonder how he knew about this._

Back at HQ, Misato was having similar thoughts. Turning to Ritsuko, she quietly said, "This is just what Shinji told me about, the man told him an angel would attack today."

"Yes," Ritsuko replied also in a quiet voice, "this is most strange. But we must focus at the task at hand. We can worry about our fortune teller after we deal with this."

Nodding, Misato opened communications with the Eva pilots. "Alright everyone, we sent you all the data we have on the target. Because of how little we have, you are to observe it and attempt to lure it out of city bounds. Asuka, you're to take point, the others will back you up."

"Are you sure? Because I think that Shinji should take point instead" she replied.

At this, everyone looked up in surprise. Asuka was actually letting someone else take the spotlight? Shinji was especially surprised at this, as could be seen on his face.

What no one else knew was that this was part of her plan to get back the respect owed to her as the best Eva pilot. By having Shinji attack an unknown target, he would be undoubtedly beaten and have to be rescued. It was at this point that Asuka would jump in and save not only Shinji, but the city by destroying the Angel. Then everyone would know she was the best and Shinji would be brought down from the spotlight.

"I mean," Asuka continued, "this is a job for our best pilots right? Shinji is Number One in the scores." Looking over and seeing Shinji's face she asked, "Don't you feel up to it, Shinji-kun?"

Inwardly, she knew that he couldn't let this challenge go, and would follow her plans. Smiling, she awaited Shinji to accept her proposition.

"I would advise against that plan, Pilot Sohryu" a new voice spoke over the com, "it would lead to unnecessary danger"

Shocked, no one said anything until Maya reported, "Three new targets approaching the Evas positions; Pattern Orange, no AT Field detected"

"Getting visuals now!" Makoto cried out from his terminal and pointed to the screen. On it appeared three humanoid figures. What was disconcerting was that they looked like Evas

Looking to Ritsuko, Misato demanded, "Evas? Ritsuko, are those the other Evas?"

Turning with a stunned look on her face, Ritsuko only shook her head wordlessly. It was apparent that she was in shock.

Out in the city, the originals looked on with surprise at the new Evas. The one in the middle was shaped similar to Unit-00, except it had two eyes like Unit-01 and was carrying two cylindrical objects on its back. It was colored in cameoflage green, except for two white stripes on either side of its head.

The Eva directly to the left of the middle one was built similar to Unit-01, but was about a head shorter and was colored a darker purple with orange on the forearms and legs from the knee down.

The unit on the right was the strangest looking one, in that it looked like a weirdly disproportionate unit-02. Its left side was normal enough, but its right side was much bulkier, the leg dragging slightly in a limp as it walked. It was colored a gray on its bulky side and a dark red on the normal side. In its bulky arm, it carried a large metal container.

All three moved up to the other Evas, who had their weapons held up in case they had to defend themselves. The middle one, the leader of the group, opened up communications with the command center and the pilot and appeared on their screens. His mousy brown hair was cut in a crew cut, and he was wearing a military green plug suit while holding himself with a military straightness. His face also appeared to give off an aura of a military feel. Lines on tanned his face showed that he had gone through many hardships, and would survive more to come. What was odd about the person was that he appeared to be a boy no older than the pilots. Yet, when he spoke, it was in a powerful and confident voice of a commanding officer.

"All pilots are to report here, now"

"Hey, who the hell do you think you are coming here and ordering us around?" Asuka demanded.

Looking at her, he replied, "I am Lieutenant Colonel Hunter, and I am ordering all pilots to report before me now"

Misato decided to enter the conversation, "I'm sorry, but you have no authorization in this operation."

"On the contrary, he does _Major_ Katsuragi, and you better listen to him as he outranks you" came a new person's voice.

A/N: I looked this up; in the military, a Lt Colonel is a higher rank than a Major

A new screen appeared, showing a boy about twelve years old. The voice he spoke in sounded as though two people were speaking at the same time. The pilot of the short Eva had dark blonde hair spiked up, and his face had features of both boy and girl. He was wearing a plug suit colored the same way as his Eva is. He spoke again in his echo-like voice, "Just follow our lead and everything will turn out for the best."

Withlooks of doubt, Misato and the rest of the crew were looking at one another. As Director of Operations, she had tactical command of the pilots and did not wish to jeopardize their lives. She was interrupted from her thoughts when Rei decided to speak up.

"Excuse me," she said quietly, "but what exactly are you going to do with us?"

The young one replied, "Ensure that you can beat the Angel of course. Why else?"

With a defiant look on her face, Asuka retorted, "I don't need anyone's help to beat something as bland as that ball."

Heaving a sigh and a cough, the third pilot made himself known. On his screen appeared a boy about the pilots' age with a very haggard face, his spiky black hair hanging slightly lank across his face. Coughing, he said in a raspy voice, "That 'ball' is not an Angel."

Ritsuko's eyes bulged slightly at this statement for a moment before regaining her composure. Looking back at the new face, she asked, "Than what is the Angel then?"

Pointing down below the ball, he explained, "The shadow below it is the Angel, the ball above is its shadow."

Gagging, Ritsuko took a peek at the data that they have collected. Looking back at the boy, she retorted angrily, "Impossible, that is completely impossible. There can be no way something as intangible as a shadow could be a physical existence. All a shadow is is an absence of light!"

Giving a weary smile that irritated the doctor more, the third pilot was about to reply when he was interrupted by Hunter. "Forget the techno jargon. We need the pilots to come here so that we can give them even the slightest chance of victory."

While this was going on, Asuka grew more and more angry. First, these strangers come and interrupt her plan to get back at Shinji. Next, they say they'll lose if they fight the target without their help. She ground her teeth angrily, _I don't need anyone's help; I can win on my OWN!_

So intent on proving this, Asuka turned and charged the target screaming, "I don't need your help, and I'll prove it!"

Shinji, who had remained silent up to this point, looked on as Unit-02 charged the floating ball. As she jumped straight at the target, she swung her axe, only to meet air as the target suddenly disappeared.

At the same time alarms went off as the computers suddenly registered an AT field. Everyone all of a sudden became very active as they analyzed the new incoming data.

Makoto cried out, "Pattern Blue! Confirmed, it's an Angel! It's directly below Unit-02!"

Outside, Asuka's Eva landed in what looked like a large black hole, and was steadily sinking. Over the com, her voice could be heard as she called for help. Without waiting for orders, Shinji moved his Eva across the black lake to get to the struggling Unit-02. Jumping across the slowly sinking rooftops, Unit-01 moved swiftly, quickly reaching Asuka. Reaching out, he called out to the struggling Asuka "Take my hand!"

Looking up, Asuka reached out with her Eva and grabbed his arm. With a great effort, Unit-01 pulled the red Eva out. Just as Asuka was catching her breath, she was suddenly finding herself flying through the air. Shinji, who had noticed that the building rooftop was dangerously close to the black surface, had grabbed and thrown Asuka's Eva with enough force to reach the far edge safely.

Reacting swiftly, the Lieutenant rushed forward and dragged Unit-02 from the ever stretching circle. "Shuri-Shara, get Ikari NOW!" he yelled.

Instantly the smaller Eva began running toward the sinking Unit-01. What doesn't happen is the Eva sinking into the blackness. To the amazement of the bridge crew, the small and agile Eva was running across the surface safely. Once it reached the struggling form, it reached down and began pulling on the Unit's flailing arms.

"Come on Shinji" the boy said calmingly, "hang on, I'll get you out"

Despite the efforts, it was obvious that the smaller Eva was unable to pull out the larger unit, which continued to sink. Realizing his plight, Shinji began to panic more, and screamed for help. Within moments, Shinji was too deep and threatening to pull in Shuri-Shara in as well. Overhead, the ball had reappeared and seemed to mock the efforts of the pilots.

"Get out of there kid! It's too late!" shouted the raspy voice of the pilot of the lopsided Eva.

"NO, I can do this!"

"Kid, I'm ordering you to pull out now" came the cold voice of Lt. Tracer

"But, sir…"

Looking at the younger boy with a hard look, he said again, "Pull out NOW!"

With a mutinous look on his face, the kid turned back to the struggling pilot. With a look of deep sadness he let him go saying, "I'm sorry"

Shinji, realizing what would happen, began to struggle even more.

"Eject the plug! Get him out of there!" Misato shouted to no one in particular

Maya worked furiously on her console, only to be denied, "No good, there's no response"

All anyone could do now was watch the Eva sink deeper and listen to Shinji's cry for help until he could no longer be heard.

Hunter was looking with an impassive look, but inwardly he was in turmoil

_This is a complication that was quite unnecessary._

Heh, cliffhanger; sorry but I ran out of ideas and I decided to end the chapter here. R&R please and I'll get back as soon as possible.


	5. Attack pt 3

Chapter 5: Attack pt 3

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do however own all the original characters. If these characters resemble characters from other stories or people in real life, know that it was purely accidental

On with the show...

* * *

Nerv HQ

"Rei get Shinji out of there now!" Misato called out frantically

"No," Hunter said, "right now we can't save him, so we are to proceed with our original plan"

Angrily, Misato turned to the newcomers screen, "You shut up! What plan could you possibly have that is a higher priority than saving a pilot?"

While their conversation was going on, Asuka was recovering from her disorientation after being tossed and dragged across the place. Looking up, she saw that much of the city was either sinking or sunk, but of Shinji or Unit-01 there was no sign.

"What happened? Where's Shinji?" she asked

"Within the Sea of Dirac, no thanks to your impetuous actions" the mysterious Shuri-Shara said in his doubled voice.

Looking up, Asuka asked in a bewildered voice, "What?"

Looking down at the red Eva, Hunter answered in a cold tone, "You let your arrogance and pride cloud your judgment and made a fatal error, for which Shinji is now paying for"

Feeling like she'd been slapped across the face, she looked out and saw Shinji's umbilical cable leading into the dark pit. Within, Asuka began to feel a cold pit form in her gut.

Looking on in irritation, Hunter called out to the lopsided Eva, "Kaitos prep the engines for a speedy transplant. I want both implanted in these Evas in three hours."

Looking up in surprise, the haggard-faced Kaitos replied, "Sir, I can't do that. It requires at least four hours for each transplant."

Looking back with a cold look, the lieutenant demanded, "You better get started, and I want you done in three hours"

Coughing nervously, Kaitos said, "Well of course, sir"

In the command center, Ritsuko demanded, "What are you planning to do with the Evas?"

"We're going to implant an internal energy source so that the Evas won't require an outside source" Kaitos answered while having his Eva open the metal box it was carrying.

A/N: This next part and future chapters will be involving elements from Full Metal Alchemist, but it is not a crossover. Also, I do not own FMA

After the lopsided Eva opened its box, it clapped its hands together and then slammed its regular left arm into the ground. To the amazement of everyone, the ground began to change shape amidst flying sparks and clouds of dust. Within moments, there were two Eva sized tables.

With mouth gaping, Makoto took of his glasses and checked to see if they were working. Misato looked like a wide-mouth bass, and Shigeru's eyes were bulging.

Recovering quickly, Ritsuko demanded, "What are you doing now?"

Kaitos replied while coughing slightly, "I am going to be cutting open the Evas so I can implant the engines in them"

Lifting the case to show the contents to the crew, he revealed two red and slightly pulsating cores. Ritsuko gasped as she said, "S2 engines! How…?"

Shaking his head, Kaitos explained, "No, no; you're mistaken. These are not S2 engines; they are N-core engines. You see, these are far superior to…"

Hunter shouted at him, interrupting his lecture, "Get on with the surgery!"

Harrumphing at this interruption, he called out to the two other pilots, "Okay, I need both of you to disengage your umbilical cables and lie on your backs on the tables."

Looking to Misato, Rei asked, "What should we do, Major?"

Misato looked toward the leader of the group and asked, "What is your plan?"

Looking back, Hunter replied, "We had a plan to defeat the angel, and now it must be rushed. Please do not interrupt until the operation is complete, then I'll explain our plan."

Shaking her head, Misato replied to Rei, "Do what they say for now, it's not like we have any other choice in the matter. These guys have a better understanding of the situation then we do"

Nodding, Rei complied with the request and disengaged her cable. As the timer began running down, she laid down on one of the tables. Asuka, meanwhile, was staring out over the sea of darkness. There were many thoughts running through her mind.

_Why? Why did Shinji do that? He knew this would happen, so why?_

Her thoughts returned to earlier, when Shinji told her that he was worried for her health. Many emotions were bouncing around in her, making her very confused. Unbeknownst to the confused red head, Shuri-Shara had appeared by her side.

"Hey, um, I wanted to apologize forsnapping at you earlier"

Looking up in surprise, Asuka turned to the younger pilot. His face was downtrodden and very solemn. She asked, "What's going to happen now?"

"Right now, we're going to implant a renewable energy source in your Evas. This will eliminate the use of cables in combat."

Looking back at where the tables were, Shuri-Shara said, "Don't worry, we'll save your Shinji"

Flushing, Asuka immediately shouted back, "Why should I care for that baka? All he's good for is cooking and cleaning. That spineless stooge, who would…"

She stopped as she realized the young pilot was laughing. This made her angrier, as she yelled, "What the hell are you laughing at?"

Wiping tears from his eyes, Shuri-Shara gasped, "Its nothing, it looks like it's true about the reports. You hide your emotions behind your pride and push everyone away so that you won't be hurt."

Looking at him in shock, Asuka asked, "Why do you…"

Winking, he interrupted her, "Don't worry, I won't tell, and neither will my friends."

Looking very relieved, Asuka went over to the table. She saw the right arm of the operating Evangelion had transformed into a large circular saw and was cutting into the chest of the inert Unit-00. After cutting the chest open, the lopsided unit then opened up the chest and picked up one of the pulsating cores from the box and gently placed it into the chest of the blue Eva. Transforming its arm again, it changed into a series of blades and began cutting into the chest. Every once in a while, sparks like before would fly out of the chest while he worked.

Tapping his Eva's foot in impatience, Hunter demanded, "How much longer?"

Without looking up, Kaitos replied, "At this rate, it'll be an imperfect implant with many negative effects."

"We'll sort it out later. How much longer?"

"Half an hour, tops"

The Lieutenant then turned to Asuka, "You disconnect your cable and get ready for surgery."

Looking once more at the black sea, Asuka disengaged her cable. The look on her face, however, said that she didn't do this because she was ordered to, but of her own convenience. Lying back, she looked over at the operation of Unit-00. The arms of the working doctor were red with blood from the Eva. Just as the last of her power ran out, Asuka saw Kaitos' Eva clap his hands and close the gaping hole in the blue Eva's chest. Sitting in the deactivated Eva, she began to attempt to sort the emotions that were running through her.

During her Eva's surgery, Rei had conflictions in her mind. She saw how Asuka had made a rash move, for which cost them dearly. When Shinji had begun sinking, she was more than prepared to jump in to save him. She found herself growing angry at Asuka. If she had not attacked without authorization, Shinji would be here with them. Holding out her hand, Rei realized that it was shaking. Clenching it, she calmed herself and found her Eva reactivating. Getting up, she looked through the eye of Unit-00 and saw Asuka's red Eva being operated on. She then looked over and saw the cable that was attached to Shinji's unit being pulled out. Only part of the cable was revealed, the rest was cut off.

She felt intense sadness, and yet she felt that Shinji would be alright. Rei's thoughts were then interrupted by Ritsuko's voice.

"Rei, how's your Unit checking out?"

Testing herself, she raised one arm of her unit. Replying to the doctor, "All systems appear to be normal"

Back at HQ, the crew was going over all the new data that was coming in. Scrunching her face, Maya said, "Ritsuko-sempai, I'm getting some weird information from the diagnostics of Unit-00."

Going over to her terminal, Ritsuko took a look at the information displayed. Frowning, she contacted the newcomers' leader, "Excuse me, Lieutenant Colonel Hunter?"

Looking over, the military soldier replied, "What do you want?"

"Are these new engines supposed to affect the AT Fields?"

Surprise on his face, Hunter turned to the other 'doctor', "Kaitos, what's going on? I thought that the AT Fields would continue to work"

Looking back with a face full of vehemence, the tired looking pilot replied, "YOU wanted fast, I gave you fast. What you DIDN'T get was perfect. Being rushed to do an operation will have adverse affects on the Evas."

Slapping a hand to his face, the double voiced, double named Shuri-Shara said, "Holy crap. Now all your planning just got flushed down the drain"

Turning to the new pilots, Misato asked, "Since you don't seem to be in total control of the situation, why don't you explain the plan you guys were planning."

Sighing in exasperation, Hunter turned and walked to where a temporary base was being set by the black pit. Having his green Eva kneel down, he said, "This is best said face to face. I'll meet you here and then we can have our discussion."

Then the entry plug ejected and opened up. Out stepped a young man about 19 years old about five foot eight inches in height. He then walked over to where the technicians were setting up the temporary equipment. Everyone there had stopped work momentarily when he came out, but immediately returned to their work so as to not attract notice. Hunter stood at parade rest, apparently waiting for Misato to arrive.

Misato turned to Ritsuko and asked, "Is there anything I should know before I meet our 'guests'?"

"I was about to tell you this, Shinji's cable was disconnected. If he had gone into life support mode, he has approximately less than 16 hours of power."

Sighing, Misato turned and told the rest of the crew to move to the temporary site by the sitting Eva. In less than an hour everyone was situated at the new site, but before anyone went anywhere they watched as Misato walked up behind the person who asked to meet her.

Without turning, Hunter greeted Misato, "Major Katsuragi," he turned, "a pleasure to meet you"

"Skip the formalities, I believe we have something to discuss?"

With a wry smile, the young man pointed to a private spot by the cliff edge where the camp was situated. Following him, Misato noticed that although the person appeared relaxed, his bearing and stride said that he was waiting for an attack at any moment. She patted her side, reassuring herself that she would be able to control the situation to her favor.

"I am unarmed Major, there is no need for you to defend yourself."

Startled, Misato pulled out her hidden weapon and aimed at the back of his head. She demanded, "I want to know who you and your friends are and what the hell you are doing"

Turning, Hunter raised his hands in a sign of peace and said in reply to the already emotional woman, "I am Lieutenant Colonel Hunter, I am the current commander of these Evas," pointing to his and the other two Evas, he continued, "we are here to help the pilots defeat the Angels"

Angrily, Misato said, "That still doesn't explain who you people are. Who sent you?"

Shrugging, the blonde man replied, "I wouldn't be able to answer that question"

"Don't screw around with us!" Misato screamed at him, "What were you guys planning?"

Hunter turned and pointed to the floating Angel, "That entity there can only be defeated from the inside. Since it would cut off the cable of any Eva that went in, we were to implant internal energy sources in all the Evas and direct them in its destruction"

Leveling the gun, Misato asked in an equally level tone, "Speaking of Evas, your man appeared to have messed up ours, so now they can't deploy their AT fields."

"A mistake, I made a rash decision which I berated your pilot about. That is something I should apologize to Pilot Sohryu about when I get the chance

"IF you get the chance. There is nothing to stop me from shooting you, so you better prepare some better answers for me. What is your plan for destroying that thing and rescuing Shinji and unit 01?"

Looking back over to the Angel, Hunter said, "It looks like Cairn is doing something about that"

Looking past his shoulder, Misato saw another Eva appear from behind some buildings and dive into the shadow. Before it dove, she was able to see that everyone inch of it was a pitch black.

Returning her attention to her prisoner, she demanded, "Who is he and what is he doing?"

Calmly, Hunter turned to face Misato and said as calmly, "Cairn is our resident shadow expert. He has gone in to rescue Pilot Ikari."

With a face that said she still doubted him, Misato asked, "Should we trust you?"

All that he said was "Do you have any other choice?"

Grudgingly she holstered her gun and pointed back to camp, "Get your team here, we need you to explain some more things to us and we don't have a lot of time"

* * *

Okay people, I'm ending the chapter here. I wish you all to know that this is something that I have been working on for some while, and if it seems a little weird, that is because I'm having trouble putting some things into words. Please R&R and I'll get back as soon as possible. 


	6. New Plans

Chapter 6: New Plans

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters. If there is any resemblance to real live people or characters of other stories then this is purely accidental.

* * *

Temporary camp

Six hours have passed since Shinji sunk into the black pit. The sun was beginning to set, and everyone was hard at work. Misato was in a conference with Ritsuko and various other technicians.

Overlooking the cliff stood all the Evas, Nerv's and the newcomer's. Asuka was nearby, leaning against the railing and looking at the ball that was floating in the distance. Her thoughts resumed their original track after the interruption from the younger pilot. Asuka kept thinking of the events that had happened. First Shinji had told her that he was worried for her, and then he went and saved her from whatever fate that he was currently going through. At first her thoughts were angry, in that Shinji had out staged her, but later her thoughts calmed as she realized he could have left her to sink. Flying through her mind were several explanations, each more crazy than the last. The only conclusion that she could come up with was that he really cared for her. This epiphany was not what she had expected, and was so mind-boggling that she thrust the idea out of her mind. In an attempt to blot the thoughts coursing through her tired mind, Asuka listened in on the conversation that was occurring among the people collected in the base.

"Currently the shadow is holding position. Expansion has stopped at a diameter of 600 meters" Makoto was saying.

Misato let out a slight sigh before turning to the people standing close by. Shuri-Shara was standing by the console that Maya was working at, looking over her shoulder and making her slightly nervous. At five feet, he was shorter than most of the people here.

Standing by the door of the tent was the leader, Hunter. Of average height, he still stood out the most with his aura of strength and confidence. Looking back at Misato, he said, "I guess you wish to know the plan that we had originally planned"

Ritsuko answered for her, "Yes, we do"

The remaining member of the trio was currently working on the Evas, fixing the problems created earlier by their haste. Standing very close to six feet, Kaitos would have been the tallest if he wasn't slumped over slightly. When he had first stepped out of his plug, he stumbled and had a coughing fit. His physical problems continued to list longer as he pulled out a cane to lean against, and pulled out a bottle, taking a long swig which calmed his coughing.

The leader of the group came over to the table where a series of maps was laid out. Clearing his throat, Hunter first asked, "Doctor, why don't you first tell me what you know of the target"

Looking over the notes on her clipboard, the faux blonde went into a lecture of the information she and the others had collected.

"As your friend said, the shadow is indeed the true form of the Angel"

Ritsuko said this with a slight look of grudging respect for the young man

"It is 680 meters in diameter and three nanometers wide. Within that space is an inverted AT field. Within the field is a region of space that can only be described as a Sea of Dirac in abstract mathematics."

Ritsuko looked over at Hunter saying, "It is quite possible that it is connected to an alternate universe"

"Yes?" Hunter asked

"It is quite impossible for three new Evas to be built and readied for battle, units 03 and 04 are still under construction in America, and neither matches the descriptions of your Evas"

"Yes?" the younger pilot asked

Misato took a few moments to process the information before coming to a similar conclusion that the doctor had made. Turning to the shorter pilot, she asked "Your all from a different universe?"

Hunter answered bluntly, "Yes"

With a smile on her face at her correct thinking, Ritsuko asked a question.

"So I can presume that you are all alternate versions of our pilots?"

"No"

Misato was looking on with an incredulous look on her face and was about to ask some questions of her own when she was interrupted. What was surprising was that she was interrupted by Rei.

"How did you come to be here?" the blue haired pilot asked, "And why do you wish to help us?"

Looking at her, Hunter answered, "The answer to the first question I cannot give. The second is harder to answer, but answer we can"

When he said this, Shuri-Shara came over and continued to answer for him.

"We all have orders to help, but we all decided we wanted to help"

Rei asked, "Why do you desire so?"

Wryly smiling, he answered enigmatically, "Curiosity killed the cat"

Seeming satisfied with her answer, Rei turned away and joined Asuka by the railings. The red-haired girl turned away from the blue-haired girl and attempted to ignore her. It seemed to be going well until Rei talked to her.

"Pilot Sohryu, it appears that you do not appear to be yourself of late"

Turning on the quiet girl, Asuka vehemently said "I am perfectly fine! Instead of worrying about me, why don't you worry about that pathetic excuse of a pilot?"

At this, Rei walked up to Asuka and looked her in the eye. After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, Asuka asked, "What? Am I annoying you with my insults of your precious Shinji?"

Even though she said this, Asuka couldn't help the feeling that passed through her. She turned away and walked to a different spot to watch the Angel. Since night had fallen, the area surrounding the circle and the floating ball was illuminated with lights. Looking at the Angel, Asuka's thoughts once again revolved around a certain pilot that was trapped there.

Rei watched impassively as Asuka was obviously having internal conflicts. She turned back to the black pit as well and began contemplating what she had learned. The pilots are beings from alternate realities, so it seemed odd that what they did while traveling was help other people. Another thing that seemed strange was that they all seemed to know each other very well, even though they were from different worlds. To add to the mystery was the black Eva that jumped into the pit. This Cairn was most likely another traveler, and if there was him who knew how many others there could be.

A/N: I hope this answers those questions about my OC's, more details in upcoming chapters

While the two original pilots were lost in thought, the two travelers were rejoined by their third member.

Wiping his hand on a cloth, Kaitos told his leader, "Well it seems it's all going very nicely, but I don't think we'll finish before the sixteen hour deadline"

At this everyone turned to the clock that was set up on one wall. Over eight hours had passed since Shinji fell into the black pit.

Sighing, the double-voiced kid said, "We had better hope that Cairn can get Shinji out"

Ritsuko turned from the terminal that she was working on. Looking from one person to the next, she said "You still have yet to tell us what your original plan for destroying the Angel was"

Kaitos coughed slightly before he answered the question "The Angel is impossible to attack from the outside. The only way to actually hurt it is to attack from within the Sea. The Evas would extend their AT fields and rip apart the only thing that was allowing it to exist"

Misato, although being unable to follow mostly because she didn't have a physics degree, was able to answer "They would rip apart the inverted AT field…"

"And the Sea would burst, allowing the Eva to escape and destroy the Angel in the process" Ritsuko finished for Misato.

Kaitos nodded as if a teacher to a very astute student, "Yep, that's the plan in a nutshell. However, due to the fact that the cables would have been sheared off and the internal batteries had insufficient power, they needed a new power source, hence the need to implant the N-core engines"

Misato asked something that had just formed in her mind, "So that's what your friend, Cairn I think, is going to do?"

"No"

Misato asked angrily, "Then what is he doing?"

Holding out a hand to ward off the two women's anger, Hunter explained, "Our Evas don't have the same capability for AT fields as yours do. What Cairn's going to do is give Shinji the power to do so"

After that statement, his face was stone and he refused to answer any more of the questions that were being asked of him.

"I think that we need to be prepared for anything" Kaitos said, "let's go to our Evas and-"

"I don't think so"

About ten Section 2 agents had leveled guns at the trio.

"We have many more questions for you people, and if you get in your units you may leave us with them unanswered" Ritsuko told the pilots, "so we need you to stay. Please accept our hospitality"

The three looked at each other and seem to be silently communicating with each other. With a nod, all three sat down on the ground with their hands in the air. Surprised at their compliance, Ritsuko had them put under guard.

* * *

Overlooking the encampment, a shrouded figure stood. The leader turned and faced the three others behind him.

"Three captured and one in the Sea," he said coldly, "This is not how we planned the scenario."

One spoke, the same as the one who had fought Asuka at the school, "Sorry, sir, but there are times when we must deviate from the original plan. That is the way of our organization."

The smallest spoke up nonchalantly in a child's voice, "So we just go with the flow as our code says, and all will be well"

The third person, which up to this moment had been silent, decided to speak up, "Keep this up, sir, and you'll be just as you were before"

Not saying anything, the supposed leader turned back to look over the visage that was before him.

* * *

Here's six completed, my apologies for it being a little shorter. A few more chapters and this Angel is done, then on to the next threat. Again, if my story seems odd, it's because I'm having a hard time putting it into words. Till then, R&R, and I'll get back as soon as I can. 


	7. New Sights

Chapter 7: New Sights

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters though. If there is any resemblance between my characters and any characters of other stories of real people it is purely coincidental.

Now on with the show…

* * *

Within the Sea of Dirac 

Shinji was just awakening within the darkened plug. Seeing that he was still there he took the time to momentarily activate the Eva. After startup, the screens were all showing white.

"There's still white noise" Shinji said before turning off the Eva.

Leaning back, he took a peek at the timer set into his plug suit. It read fourteen hours forty-eight minutes.

"Fourteen hours, that means that I have maybe two or so hours left."

Closing his eyes he was silent for a few moments before he spoke up again, "I'm hungry"

"If you're hungry, here"

Flying into his face was a wrapped sandwich. Startled he turned his head around and saw another person was in his plug.

Shinji stammered, "H-h-how did y-you get in?"

The person he was talking to appeared to be in his early twenties. He had a darkly tanned face with shoulder length black hair tied in a slight braid. When he spoke, his voice was of the deepest tone, but still seemed to have a very light tone to it. The strangest aspect of this person was his eyes; his pupils were white and the white parts of his eyes were black.

Chuckling, the man said, "The proper greeting is 'Hello, how are you?' or 'Hello, my name is so and so, what's yours?"

Meekly, Shinji replied politely, "Hello, my name is Shinji Ikari. What is your name?"

Again chuckling, the dark man replied "Better. My name is Cairn Yami; it's a pleasure to meet you Shinji"

Catching himself, "Wait, you still didn't answer my first question!"

Smiling like a Cheshire cat, Cairn replied, "I got in through the shadows, like this."

He then faded out, but before Shinji could panic he reappeared in front of him.

All that Shinji could say was "Wow"

"Heh, wow indeed"

Shinji's face began to glow with new hope, "So you can get me out of this empty space?"

With a sheepish look, Cairn replied, "Sorry, the AT field of the Angel prevents me from getting us out of the Sea"

Looking crestfallen, Shinji began to feel more depressed. With a contrite look, the dark person pushed the sandwich from earlier towards the boy.

"Here, eat this and you'll feel better"

Looking up, Shinji held up the timer set into his watch. He then said bitterly, "How can I feel better if I'm going to die in less than two hours?"

Knocking Shinji gently on the head, Cairn retorted, "Stop the negative thinking. I know I got your hopes up and brought it down, but I can still help you get out of here!"

Curling himself into a ball, Shinji said, "Sorry, it's just that it all seems hopeless."

Leaning back, Cairn was silent for a few long moments. Shinji was equally quiet, and from time to time he would glance towards his companion. He saw that the man seemed to be silently conversing with himself. Deciding not to interrupt, he remained silent. After a long silence Shinji saw something that drove all other thoughts from his mind. The LCL filling the plug was getting cloudy.

Panicking, Shinji began to hyperventilate, but he began to choke as he smelled the liquid he was in.

"It smells, oh god the purification system must be going! It smells like blood!"

Panicking, Shinji frantically reached for the plug handle, "Let me out! Why won't this stupid thing open!"

He jumped a mile when he felt a hand on his arm. Turning, he saw that Cairn was holding him with a stern look on his face.

"Calm down, panicking is not going to help you now"

His breathing becoming slower, Shinji soon calmed down. Returning to his seat, Shinji looked to the man sitting on the console in front of him.

"How do we get out?" he asked

"The only way that you can get out is if you use your Eva's AT field to rip apart the Angel's AT field. Doing so will destroy the Angel in the process of your escape."

Smiling, Cairn joked, "Its killing two birds with one stone"

Shinji managed a small smile. Nodding, Cairn patted Shinji on the shoulder for encouragement.

His smile fading, Shinji asked, "How do I do that? My Eva has no power left!"

Cairn pointed at Shinji, "You do have power; you just need to look deep in your soul to find that power."

* * *

Meanwhile, out by the temporary base 

"Forced Eva salvage?" Misato asked incredulously

Ritsuko replied, "Yes, it is the best possible plan. We will drop all 992 remaining N2 mines into its center. Our remaining Evas will then activate their AT fields to direct the charge and disrupt the circuit of the Angel. The concentrated strike might destroy the Angel and the Sea of Dirac"

Misato interrupted, "But what about the Eva? Shinji wouldn't survive the blast!"

"Salvaging the Eva is the highest priority. The pilot's life is not our concern"

Angrily, the purple haired guardian spoke, "How can you callously throw away someone's life like that?"

"Have patience"

Both women turned towards the source of the interruption. The source was Kaitos, who, along with his allies, were under strict guard. Raisingand stretchinghis left arm, he said "Cairn can get Shinji out of the Sea, but you need to give him some time"

"Time isn't something we have!" Misato retorted angrily

"We do, actually." Ritsuko said matter-of-factly, "In all likelihood, Shinjiwill haveperished from the lack of oxygen"

"You-"Misato began, but was interrupted again, this time by the military pilot

"Why do you want to save Unit-01 so much?"

Misato turned back to the doctor, "Yes, why do you and the Commander care so much about it? What is it?"

Turning, Ritsuko only replied, "I have given you all the information"

"Liar"

Looking Misato straight in the eye, the faux blonde doctor said, "I am taking command of this operation; you had better stay out of the way"

With that, Ritsuko walked away while telling the people to contact airports to direct the incoming bombers.

"Have faith, Misato-san"

Surprised, she turned to the youngest who had spoken. Leaning forward, Misato asked, "How? How can I have faith if Shinji is going to be killed?"

Smiling gently, Shuri-Shara replied, "A miracle will only happen if you keep fighting to the very end, so don't give up yet. Believe in my friend, believe in Shinji"

As he said this, Misato relaxed. Nodding, she thanked the boy for the inspirational words and left. Once she was out of earshot, Kaitos began to laugh. He laughed so hard that he had a fit of coughing and had to drink more of his medicine.

Gasping, he said, "Since when did you become a soothsayer?"

Flushing, the boy said, "Shut up! I just did it to make her feel better, alright?"

Patting a hand on Shuri-Shara's shoulder, Hunter said "You did the right thing kid. Like you said, have faith"

Chortling, Kaitos said, "Wait till the others hear this, they are going to laugh!"

Angrily, the boy smacked the cripple, who only continued to laugh, albeit in a quieter tone. Ignoring the two, Hunter stared out across the expanse, to where the sun was rising. He had faith; he knew that Cairn would pull through and get Shinji out.

* * *

Within theSea of Dirac 

Shinji was beginning to feel light-headed from the lack of oxygen. Pulling himself together, he focused his attention back to the matter at hand; getting out of the Sea.

"There's a power in the Eva that can help me get out?"

Nodding, the dark pilot said, "Yep"

Shaking his head to clear his foggy mind, Shinji asked, "How do I do that?"

With a wry look on his face, Cairn replied, "Sorry, but that is something that you alone can figure out. I don't really know how myself"

His vision fading, Shinji was gasping, desperate for air. Before he passed out, he heard one last piece of advice from his new companion.

"You must look in you heart and find the reason to keep living. You already know it, now you must find it"

With that Shinji lost all consciousness, and his subconscious began to take over. When he can see again, Shinji found himself in a train car, dressed in his school uniform, andthe sun setting in the windowacross from him.

Looking he saw another person, "Who's there?"

"Shinji Ikari" was the reply

"But that's me"

"I am also you, the self that incorporates another self. The self that has always been composed of two selves"

"Two selves?" he asked

"Yes, the self that is observed and the self that observes itself. You see, the Shinji Ikari in your mind is only one Shinji; there is the Shinji Ikari in Misato's mind and the Shinji Ikari in Asuka's mind. There are dozens of varieties of Shinji Ikari in everyone"

Continuing, the other spoke, "What you fear is the other Shinji's in the minds of others."

"No, I'm afraid of being hated"

"You're afraid of being hurt"

Abruptly, he was jolted as he saw another being appear in the train car. The being was another cloaked figure, who sat next the other Shinji.

Speaking up, Shinji realized that it was the same person as the one who was on the bus, "You're afraid of being alone, aren't you?"

Confused, Shinji asked, "What…"

Interrupting, the other spoke, "Who makes you feel alone?"

Looking down, flashes of memories appeared in his mind, "Father, he abandoned me, he's terrible"

He saw the cold emotionless face that his father always wore. The feeling of emptiness and inadequacy that was associated whenever he looked at him flashed through him.

"No," his other spoke, "you are the one that is terrible"

Then there were other flashes, of Asuka berating him for being weak.

Sobbing, Shinji said, "I'm worthless"

"No"

Looking up, he saw the cloaked person walking towards him. Leaning down, he placed a hand on Shinji's shoulder and spoke calmly but sternly.

"You are not worthless, you are not terrible"

More flashes passed, of Misato trying to make Shinji feel better, when Rei slapped him for doubting his father. Then memories of his father praising his good work for destroying the previous Angel.

"Good job Shinji"

"He praised me. My father said my name and he praised me"

Shaking his head and tightening his grip on Shinji's shoulder, he said, "All a ruse, to make you keep believing that there might be a chance for you to get back with him. He set you up so that when you fell, it would completely destroy your mind and heart. Gendo is using you, just like he uses everyone else."

Shaking his shoulder free, Shinji said, "No, if I trust his words, it's enough to keep me alive"

His other self spoke up again, "Even though you are deceiving yourself?"

"Everyone does it! That's how people survive!"

"By keeping to the past," his other said, "You won't change; you won't be able to continue"

Speaking back, Shinji boldly stated, "The world is filled with to much pain to continue"

"You keep running away from things that you wished to avoid, things that hurt you"

More memories flashed through the mind of the boy. When Touji had hit him to compensate for his sisters injuries, when his father told him to go away. Each memory of the worst experience he had passed through his mind

"No" Shinji screamed, "I don't want to hear this"

As quick as the flashes started, they stopped.

His other said, "See? You're running from reality again. No one can exist just by focusing on the happiest moments of his life."

Interrupting, the cloaked man came and grabbed Shinji by his collar, lifting him from his seat.

"That is enough of self-pity. Know this, there is no amount of pain that will cause a person to stop, there is no way to exist by living in your past"

Sobbing, Shinji said, "What's wrong with that?"

"There are reasons for people to live, for people to continue. You need to find yours."

Looking him in the eyes, Shinji replied, "There's nothing for me, all I have is Eva. It's the only way that I can prove my existence, the only way for people to look at me"

"The only way that you can be liked, the only way to be loved?"themanasked angrily.

Shaking him roughly, the man said, "You don't need to do things for people to want to be with you, you need to be yourself"

Getting angry, Shinji asked "How can you know how I feel? You don't understand me!"

Putting him gently back on the ground, the cloaked man said softly, "I do know what it is like to feel inadequate, to feel unwanted"

Slowly the train they were on faded, along with the other Shinji Ikari. Soon, it was replaced with a new scene. A large village comprised of average sized dome shaped houses atop a great cliff appeared. If one looked over the edge of the cliff, they would not be able to see the bottom. Adding to the scene was the top of the mountain jutting straight into the sky, casting a shadow over the village. Near the peak was a large castle, big enough to have encompassed the whole of the village below.

Shinji turned, taking in the sights that surrounding him. He was in awe, but was truly surprised when he saw the inhabitants of the village. Every man, woman, and child had large bird-like wings upon their backs. The colors were great and varied, from blues to reds, from browns to yellows; there was almost every color of the rainbow here. Only the youngest of kids seemed to have some sort of pattern. Their wings were small and fluffy, like the feathers of baby birds.

Awestruck, Shinji asked, "Where are we?"

Chuckling softly at the expression on the pilot's face, his traveling companion replied, "This was my home. This is the great capital of the Aerolan Empire, Casaransha"

* * *

I'm ending this chapter here before it gets to long. I hope that you enjoyed this very much, and again if it seems odd, it's just me trying to put my story into words. In my next chapter, we enter an all new world, but rest assured, we'll return to Japan soon enough. Please R&R and I'll get back as soon as I can. 


	8. Learning Experience

Chapter 8: Learning Experience

Author's Note: First, I want to apologize to the readers for being abrupt and seemingly random. Second, it will all come together, just much later on. And again, I apologize for the shortness of my chapters. Also, I apologize for my writing, I'm still working out how to put into words, but I am getting better, right?

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does (Do I have to say this at the beginning of every chapter?). I do own any original characters that appear in the story. If there is any resemblance to characters of other stories or to real people, that is purely accidental.

Now on with the show…

Asuka: Cut it with the cheesy lines!

Ninetri9: What! Asuka, how'd you get here?

Shinji: Through the door

Ninetri9: Arghh! You too?

Misato: Hey, it looks like a party is happening here!

Ninetri9: What's going on here? This is MY ROOM; none of you shouldn't even be here!

Rei: Hello, I hope that I am not late for the celebrations.

Ninetri9: REI! Great, who else is coming?

Asuka: Everyone really

Ninetri9: Wait, even my own characters!

Kaitos: Hey, a party. Come on in guys!

Ninetri9: Oh dear…

Hunter: I brought the beer that-

Misato: BEER! Gimme!

Asuka and Shinji: Here we go again

Ninetri9: Oh man. I hope this doesn't interfere with my story

Kensuke: Hey, it's the writer!

Touji: Yeah, we've been meaning to talk with you.

Ninetri9: groan What do you two want?

Kensuke: We want more time and lines in the story

Ninetri9: Did you not read my summary? I've got Touji already planned for more show time

Kensuke:whineBut what about ME?

Shuri-Shara: Hey, sorry we're late, but we took a wrong turn

Mystery Man 1: Hey Asuka, ready for round 2? I've been aching to pay you back for the other day at the school

Asuka: What, you want another beating already?

Mystery Man 2: Easy, we don't want to mess around in the author's room

Mystery Man 1 and Asuka: Stay out of this!

Mystery Man 3: Hey, Ninetri9, I wanted to talk with you…

Ninetri9: sigh Let's just get this chapter rolling…

(Borrowed this idea from other fictions, not sure if anyone owns this idea, but I disclaim it anyway)

* * *

Temporary Base 

Within the tent was full of tension. All the techs were hard at work, pulling overtime to defeat the threat before them. Pacing among them, looking at the data they were working on, was a fatigued Ritsuko.

Interrupting her pacing, Maya said, "Eva should be near the end of its power by now"

Shigeru added, "The plug suit should be nearing the end as well"

Ritsuko stopped her pacing as she looked over at the terminal that Maya was working at. Contrary to what she said to Misato, she was as worried as the purple-haired woman about Shinji's wellbeing.

Sighing, she said, "Advance the scheduled attack by 15 minutes"

Even though there was less than 0.000001 of Shinji surviving the assault, there was still the chance he would survive. It was better than leaving the boy in the Sea, where he had no chance of surviving.

Outside, in their respective Evas, Rei and Asuka were awaiting further orders. The blue-haired girl starred impassively at the Sea. In her mind, she was growing more worried, a feeling that she had not felt before. The prospective attack would more than likely kill Shinji. As she waited, Rei's thoughts returned to the events that occurred during the Fifth Angel. She remembered how he had risked burns in order to get her out of the plug. Leaning back in her seat, Rei could see him clearly; the tears on his face that she had mistaken for sorrow were actually tears of happiness. He was happy to see she was alright, and it had given her a good feeling. He had risked a great deal to ensure that she was alright. Looking back to the black pit, she desperately wanted to jump in and accomplish the task that the alternate travelers had wanted of them, and save the boy who cared so much for her. But the orders of her superiors prevented her from doing so.

In her red Eva, Asuka mind was whirling. She had heard of the attack that would occur at any minute. The chances of Shinji surviving was very slim, he might not even have that chance. She kept having mixed thoughts, so Asuka attempted to bring her mind back to order. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, her thoughts kept returning to the brown-haired boy trapped in the pit. She recalled all the times he helped her, the times he was kind to her.

_What is wrong with me? _She thought

_Why does my mind keep going to that spineless baka?_

Leaning back, Asuka remembered her earlier epiphany, which was that Shinji cared for her

_No, that can't be true. No one could possibly care for me, especially that idiot._

**_Exactly, no one could care about you_**

_I can take care of myself, I don't need anyone_

**_Right, we don't need anyone. We have to keep them away from us, away from our heart, so that no one can ever hurt us_**

_No one will hurt us_

Her thoughts set were set, but her heart was not so calm. She felt empty inside, as though by closing herself from others actually caused more pain. And yet she resolved herself, whether or not Shinji came back alive would not affect her. She will keep him away, to keep herself unhurt and safe. Nothing would change her mind.

How wrong was she? Overlooking the Evas and the sight of the soon to be ground zero, three figures stood up high on a cliff. The smallest was holding a crystal ball from which the spoken thoughts of Asuka's mind had moments before came out.

"This isn't right," the child said, "we have no right to be listening in on someone's personal thoughts"

"It is for the best" the cold tone of the leader said, "She is hiding her feelings, which will cause more damage to everyone in contact with her"

Sighing, the third member made himself known, "Keevan-kun, you know that this is what we need to do"

The boy sighed, "I know, but come on, peering into someone's mind?"

Patting the boy on the shoulder, the other cloaked person said, "Don't worry, just don't tell her when you meet her"

"Hai.And speaking of which, why was I chosen to be sent to the pilots' school? I'm only 10!"

"You are extremely smart, and besides, aren't you supposed to skip grades back in your world?"

Grudgingly, Keevan nodded, "But what if people become suspicious? I don't want to mess up, but what if I do? I'm only a kid!"

Waving his hand dismissively, the older person said, "Relax, you won't mess up, and anyway, we'll be there to help you."

Looking back up, he then asked the leader, "When do you wish to make your appearance?"

The enigmatic leader was silent for a long moment before he spoke, "During the Thirteenth's attack"

Nodding, the other two accepted his decision, considering that is the best time for their organization to become actively known to the public, or at least to Nerv.

* * *

Shinji's Mind (Or dreamscape, rather) 

Shinji was in awe of all he saw, "This is your home?"

His companion spoke with a touch of sadness in his voice, "It was"

Looking back, Shinji saw that he was removing the cloak he was wearing. He could now see that the person was about his age, maybe older. His hair was black with blue highlights and tied into a braid that reached just past his shoulder. His eyes were yellow, like the eyes of a falcon. The person also had a scar across his left cheek, reaching from his jawline to almost touching the far corner of his left eye. The most amazing part of him was the wings on his back. Coming from two slits cut into his dark blue shirt was a pair of large black wings. The span seemed to be about 18 feet, while his height seemed around 5 feet 10 inches.

Spreading his wings slightly to stretch them, he said, "I apologize for my rudeness. Like my friend from the plug would say, I should introduce myself. My name is Iak, a pleasure to meet you, Shinji"

Nodding, Shinji replied, "I-I-it's nice t-to meet you, too. Umm, how do you two know each other?"

"We have the same line of work"

Turning his head, Iak pointed out towards the masses of people, "Just like I and my associates are, everything you see here is from another reality, another dimension"

Shinji looked around. He could easily believe that he was in another world. Nothing he saw would have belonged in the world he was from.

Looking up with a confused look, Shinji asked, "Did you take me here?"

Shaking his head with a small smile, Iak replied, "No, this is only a memory of mine."

Moving his arm in a wide arc, he asked, "Look around. What do you see, or rather what do you not see?"

Shinji decided to look, and turned. Looking from person to person, he began to realize something. Turning back to his companion, he said, "There's no one with black colored wings"

Sadly smiling, Iak expounded, "These people are the middle class of the Aerolan Empire, called Anamars"

Pointing to the castle above them, he continued, "The royalty live in the castle above us, and are known as Miralans. They are all possessing of the pure white wings that is their symbol of royalty"

When he stopped, Shinji asked, "What about people like you, the ones with black wings?"

Not answering his question he continued, "Anamars is Happy Flock in your language, and Miralans is Ascended or White Wings"

Iak began to walk into the village, leaving Shinji with little choice but to follow. They walked in silence for what seemed hours. After an intermit walk, Iak stopped in front of one of the houses. Shinji looked at the building, but he could not see what was different about this building.

It was a large dome, like the others. In front were a door and a window to its left. Above the door were two more windows, which showed that there was a second level within.

"The strangest thing is that the color of our wings are not always passed down from our parents"

Shinji jumped a little since it had been a while since Iak had last spoken.

"Some members of royalty were born here, among the Anamars."

Suddenly, a little blonde bird-girl ran past them and up to the door. She ignored them and went to knock on the door. Shinji was confused and turned to Iak for an answer.

Chuckling, he answered before Shinji could ask, "We are only phantoms here in the world that is my memories. All this had already happened, and nothing we do will affect it. The past is only the past, we remember it but we can't affect what has happened"

Turning, Shinji returned his gaze to the little girl just in time to see the door open. Appearing at the door was a bird-woman who seemed in her early 30's. She wore a pale green dress with an apron covering her front. Her hair was black with blue highlights, like Iak's hair, and tied in a bun. Her wings were a light red tone that reminded Shinji of a certain red-head.

"Hello Kari," the lady said in a lilting tune, "Iak will be out as soon as he finishes-"

"All done!"

Turning, the woman put her hands on her hips and spoke to the little boy who had interrupted her. Shinji was in shock, he saw a younger version of the person who was next to him. Looking harder, he saw a boy the same age as the little girl, about 4 or 5, with short black hair like his mothers.

Turning towards his companion, Shinji asked, "Is that you?"

Ruefully nodding, he replied, "Yes, that was me before my colored flight feathers grew in"

Nodding his head toward the woman, Iak continued, "That is my mother, Kana. My father, Tek, was a member of the royal guard, who protected the people"

Looking back, Shinji saw that the wings of both children had the same gray-white fluffy feathers. Seeing them, he was instantly reminded of chicks before they grew their flight feathers.

"Flight feathers grow in at around the age of 5," Iak explained while watching his younger self being scolded for interrupting his mother, "The colors of the feathers determine where you belong, among the Anamars or the Miralans"

Shinji frowned at this, "But that doesn't seem right, if anyone can grow any possible color, than why do those with white feathers become royalty?"

"It's religion" Iak stated. Seeing the still confused boy, he expounded, "In our society, legends say that the first goddess, Mira goddess of the heavens, had wings of the purest white, and that she was the one who created our kind in her image. It is said that she proclaimed that all those born Mira, or white, are to lead the Aerolans on to greater things"

Turning back to the boy, Iak continued, "It is the way that they live and have always lived"

Turning back, Shinji saw that the two children were already running off to play. Iak took off to follow them, leaving Shinji to follow blindly. They soon reached their destination, a playground full of young kids, all with fluffy feathers. Looking around, Shinji soon spotted the blonde and black heads of the kids from earlier. Silently, Shinji and Iak stood there watching them play with the other children.

Eventually, after having debating himself, Shinji interrupted the silence by asking, "You still haven't told me the significance of the black colored wings"

For a long moment Iak didn't answer. Shinji, fearing he had upset his companion, was about to apologize when he spoke up.

"You saw that there were no people with black wings. In fact, there are only two people living who have black colored wings. Myself and my little sister."

With a look of sadness, Iak continued, "Black winged Aerolans are known as Saidagans, which means Curse of Evil"

Surprise on his face, Shinji asked, "Why are you called that?"

Tilting his head back to his younger self playing a game sort of like tag with the other children, Iak said, "There was another deity, Saidon, god of the underworld, who was jealous of Mira for creating us without his knowledge or help. He was arrogant and prideful, and plotted against the other gods. He had planned to take the place of his sister and be the one that the Aerolans she had created would worship. He was stopped before he could do anything, and when he was banished from the earthly realm Saidon cast a curse on our people"

After that, the cursed bird-man became quiet, watching the children play, oblivious to the dark discussion being made.

Again there was quiet, but this time Shinji's curiosity got the best of him. He turned and asked, "What was the curse?"

Closing his eyes, Iak took a deep breathe. Exhaling, he said, "We would destroy the entirety of the Aerolan society."

Wide-eyed, Shinji couldn't help but take a step back from the man.

Looking him straight in the eye, Iak said, "That is what the people did, when they realized that I was one of the cursed beings"

Angry at himself, Shinji stepped back and said, "Sorry"

With a small smile, Iak nodded, "Apology accepted, especially since you didn't try to kill me"

"What!"

"I said that I and my sister were the only Aerolans with black wings. What did you think happened to all the others?"

Bowing his head, Shinji said, "I didn't know"

Patting him on the head, Iak said, "Its okay, but I think you can understand my feelings from that moment."

Confused, the brown-hair asked, "What do you mean?"

The scene faded around them. It was soon replaced by a new one; all around them were angry people. The object of their anger was Iak's younger self, only this time he had his flight wings. The wings were covered in dust, but it could still be seen that the color of the feathers were black.

"You and I were both abandoned, both left out, both hated."

The child attempted to run, his wings flapping clumsily as he tried to take flight. The crowd didn't pursue him, but a group of armored fliers did.

"Shinji, both of us were rejected, because we were something they didn't want"

Shinji could only look on in horror as the child was trapped against the edge of the cliff. The pursuers slowed, seeing their prey was unable to escape.

Shinji was about to jump in to save the child, but was stopped by a sad looking Iak.

"It is only a memory," he said, "You can't change the past"

One of the armored warriors stepped up close. He swaggered, sure of himself since the child was defenseless. The child sank to his knees, tears flowing from his eyes.

Shinji couldn't tear his eyes away, "Where are your parents?"

Fingering the scar on his cheek, Iak replied with a question, "Who do you think gave me this scar?"

Horrified, Shinji turned in time to see the guard pull his face guard up. The face was an exact copy of the boy kneeling before him.

"When I saw that it was my father who would kill me, I lost all hope, and I did what you are doing now. I ran from the reality before me"

At that exact moment, his father raised his axe and swung hard. The younger Iak jumped backwards, the edge of the blade cutting across the left side of his face. And he fell to his apparent death. None of the guards followed; sure he would fall to his death.

The scene then switched again. Now they were flying through the air. At first, Shinji panicked before he remembered that it was all an illusion. Looking, he soon found the child falling. The look on his face was that of utter content and resolution while blood leaked from his face.

"I was ready to die, because I thought that I had lost my reason to live"

Shinji could only look on with mixed feelings. He himself had thought that same way, that is, until his father gave him Eva and a purpose. He understood exactly how he felt.

The scene faded and was left black. Shinji looked frantically around, "What happened next?"

"I survived the fall, obviously, and I was taken in be humans. They raised me, but I was indifferent to them, like you were with your caretakers"

The pilot bowed his head, seeing the truth that was being said. Turning back, Shinji asked, "You still ran, but you look as though you have found your purpose in life"

"Not really a purpose, but rather a reason to want to live"

Iak turned to Shinji with a stern look on his face.

"Shinji," he said, "There is always a reason to live, a reason to face the future and what it holds"

Shinji turned his head, "I only have Eva…"

"And when the Angels stop coming, what will your reason to exist be?"

"I don't have anything else"

Grabbing his shoulders, the winged man shook him, "You DO! Look in your heart; you know you have another reason, something to keep your spirit up."

Bowing his head, Shinji did that and looked within himself. He saw flashes of memories, flying through his mind too fast for him to concentrate on. The ones that stood out the most, though, were images of his friends, Touji and Kensuke. Next, were images of his guardian, Misato Katsuragi. Then, images of his fellow pilots appeared, the quiet blue-haired Rei Ayanami and the fiery red-headed Asuka Langley Sohryu.

Looking up, he saw that Iak was smiling, as though he had seen what Shinji did.

Patting him on the shoulder, he said jokingly, "How about we get you out; I think you've been in the water for far too long"

Turning, he called to a person Shinji could not see, "Would you help?"

Squinting his eyes, the boy saw a new person appear, a woman. When she came closer, Shinji thought that she felt familiar. Holding put her arms, she hugged him, and feelings of comfort flowed through him. He now remembered this feeling, it was the feeling he had whenever he was with his mother.

Shinji awoke light-headed, but with a sense of great strength. He saw his other companion, the dark Cairn Yami with a smile on his face.

Waving his hand, Cairn said, "I'll see you outside" and then faded away.

Smiling as well, Shinji grabbed the controls, his heart and mind set on getting out of his isolation. Closing his eyes, he felt his mother giving him new strength. Opening his eyes again, he activated his Eva, and proceeded to fight his way out, to see the people who helped give him the reason to keep living.

* * *

Ninetri9: There, another chapter done. I want to thank everyone for reading my story. And if it seems odd I apologize- 

Asuka: ARGHH!

Ninetri9: Err, Asuka, what's wrong?

Asuka: You're just like that dummkopf; you apologize for every little thing!

Shinji: I do not!

Asuka: What was that!

Shinji: mumblingnothing

Touji: Heh, it seems the devil's whipped you again, Shinji

Kensuke: I wonder if she's like that in private.

Misato: Yep

Shinji and Asuka: MISATO!

Shuri-Shara: Hey, the pizza's here

Ninetri9: Wait, you ordered pizza without telling me!

Kaji: Hello everyone. Hope I'm not too late for the party

Ninetri9: I hope no one else is coming

Shuri-Shara: Actually…

Ninetri9: groanwho else?

Ritsuko: Hey, sorry we're late, had to pick up some dry cleaning

Maya: Hey pizza!

Shigeru: Man am I hungry!

Mystery Man 2: Help yourselves

Pen-Pen: Wark!

Shinji: Don't worry, we ordered anchovy toppings too

Rei: Is there vegetarian?

Mystery Man 3: Yeah, it's over here

Makoto: Hey I've got drinks!

Misato: You got beer as well?

Makoto: Umm…

Misato: Gimme!

Kaji: Take it easy

Ninetri9: Okay, if you people are having a party here, I'm laying some ground rules-

Gendo: And what rules would those be?

Fuyutsuki: Now Commander, be polite, you are in his room

Ninetri9: I swear, I'll kill the next person who comes in through that door

Hikari: Hey guys!

Ninetri9: THAT'S IT! Pulls out chainsaw GET OVER HERE!

Touji: Wait! Stop, put the machine down!

Hikari: EEK! Help!

Iak: Okay, now calm down and the chainsaw down

Ninetri9: I'VE HAD IT WITH ALL THIS! SOMEONE'S GOING TO DIE!

Bang

Silence

Shinji: Uhh, Misato, you just killed the author

Misato: No I didn't

Asuka: WHAT DO YOU MEAN! HE'S LYING IN A POOL OF HIS OWN BLOOD!

Ritsuko: If he really died then the fiction would have stopped and we would cease to exist

Misato: Exactly

Kaitos: That and the fact that you actually shot Kaji

Misato: WHAT!

Ninetri9: Yeah, I'm still here, under Kaji

Misato: sobbingOh god, I killed him

Kaji: groanActually, I'm still here too

Ninetri9: I'm ending this before anymore blood is shed. Thanks for reading, send in reviews and I'll get back as soon as I can. Hopefully with a less crowded room.


	9. Oddities

Chapter 9: Oddities

* * *

Ninetri9: Ok, looks like the coast is clear. Good, I can get this chapter done in peace…

Asuka: There he is!

Ninetri9: groan

Touji: AHA! Dude, we still got some negotiations to do cracks knuckles

Hunter: Calm down, you need him in one piece

Kensuke: We know, which is why we're going to leave him his head and his hands

Shinji: Hey, come on. Leave him alone

Ninetri9: Thank you Shinji!

Kensuke: No way, we want more time on screen, and we're getting it!

Misato: groanHey, could you keep it down?

Ninetri9: Misato, why were you in my bedroom?

Kaji: Hey, sorry about the mess in your bed. Don't worry, it can be washed out.

Ninetri9: YOU DID NOT!

Kaitos: The fact that Misato is wearing Kaji's shirt, and the fact your room smells like you-know-what, I can conclude that they did

Ninetri9: I am never sleeping in that bed ever again

Asuka: If you think that's bad, then you probably don't want to know what Pen-Pen did on your carpet

Pen-Pen: Wark

Ninetri9: I better get started before I get anymore grossed out. First, I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters that appear in this fiction…

Touji: Why does that sound so wrong?

Ninetri9: If there is any resemblance to characters in other stories or to real live people…

Shuri-Shara: Fat chance of that

Ninetri9: It is merely coincidental

Kensuke: Hey, you can't start the chapter!

Touji: Yeah, we haven't begun our negotiations yet

Iak: This is going to take awhile

Shinji: noddingIt seems like it

* * *

Temporary Base

Sitting together surrounded by an armed group of about 20 Section 2 agents, the three traveling pilots were having a conversation

Taking another swig from his medicine bottle, Kaitos said, "Is someone supposed to have picked us up by now?"

Lying on his back, Shuri-Shara replied in his echo voice, "We're supposed to be on our own as soon as we made contact with the pilots"

Swirling his bottle around, Kaitos ascertained that he was running low on medicine. Looking over, Hunter noticed the movement and commented, "Running low?"

Nodding, the cripple replied, "Not enough to last the hour"

Leaning back, the young pilot murmered, "Guess it's almost time to go"

After that comment, the three remained still and silent. After about 10 minutes, the already pale Kaitos became more pale and his breathing become ragged. Draining the last of his medicine helped ease him slightly. After a few more minutes, the cripple began to cough violently, gripping his chest.

One of the guards asked, "What's wrong with him"

Shuri-Shara got back up and felt the forehead of the pale pilot, "He is very ill, I think that he should get a medical treatment"

Frowning, the agent went to the leader of the group to discuss the recent illness.

After listening, the leader called the current commanding officer, a.k.a. Ritsuko, "Excuse me ma'am, but I think we have a situation here"

From her tone it could be told of her irritation, "What is it?"

"One of the prisoners has fallen ill and requires medical attention"

Irritably, Ritsuko replied, "Then take care of it!"

Not wishing to make the doctor angrier, the agent did so. He had four of his agents carry the ailing pilot to the nearest medical facility. Feeling like he did the right thing, the officer was able to relax again.

After a few moments of quiet, the agents were disturbed by the youngest pilot asking, "Excuse me, but I need to go"

Feeling angry, one of the guards said, "You are not going anywhere"

Sighing in exasperation, Shuri-Shara said, "Idiots, I mean that I need to go to the restroom!"

Looks of understanding on there faces, two guards went with the child to the nearest restroom, leaving 14 agents to watch the military pilot.

* * *

Medical facility

Lying in bed was the unconscious body of the cripple pilot. The doctors had diagnosed the body and prepped medicine, which they gave to the man.

Slitting one of his eyes open, Kaitos was pleased to see that the coast was clear. Quietly climbing out of bed, he slipped up to the door, to find it guarded by two agents outside. Going to the window that was next to his bed, the crippled traveler found the other two underneath it.

"Heh, a challenge"

He then picked up a plastic IV bag and filled it with water. Going by the window, he cracked it open just enough to stick a finger through. Clapping his hands, he then placed them back on the bag. The water in it instantly superheated and turned to steam. Kaitos then opened the bag, releasing a huge cloud of steam through the open window.

Outside, the agents had noticed the steam coming from the open window and mistook it for smoke. Picking up his walkie-talkie, the agent said, "We have a possible fire in the prisoners ward, requesting assistance"

While saying this, both ran around to the entrance. As soon as they rounded the corner, the window opened all the way and amidst the clouds of steam Kaitos climbed out. Looking around, he checked for witnesses. Seeing none, he ran for his Eva as fast as he could limp.

* * *

Bathroom

"Okay, here we are" said one of the agents that came along with the captive.

Going in the restroom, one guard took position outside the facility, while the other waited outside the stall that the odd child had gone in.

Inside the stall, Shuri-Shara rubbed his hands in anticipation, "Only two agents? Piece of cake"

Making a hand gesture, he said quietly, "Ninja art, Separation Jutsu!"

A small puff of cloud, and instantly there were two people in the stall. One was a boy in a purple plug suit; the other was a girl in an orange plug suit. Both looked almost exactly alike, and had feature of the original form.

With a mischievous smile, the girl said, "Well bro, let's do this"

The boy smiled a bit more shyly, "I decoy, you K.O.?"

Nodding, the girl sneaked under the stall wall. The agent waiting outside had heard snatches of conversation.

"Hey kid, what are you doing in there?"

A sheepish voice came out, "Taking care of business"

At once the agent was suspicious, the boy had originally had a doubled voice and now he was hearing a single boy's voice. Pulling open the stall door, the agent demanded, "What is going on?"

He saw a boy different from the one he brought in sitting on the toilet looking scared. Frowning, the agent pulled out his gun and pointed it at the boy.

"Where's the other kid?"

"In front and behind you!"

Turning, the agent was just able to see an orange foot hit him square in the face. Once he was down, both kids pulled the man into a stall and tied him up using strips torn from his suit.

Grinning evilly, the girl said, "One down, one to go"

The boy had a nervous look as he said, "Shara, take it easy. We don't have to hurt them so badly"

Glaring at the boy, the girl said, "Shuri! You need to be tough"

Resigning himself, the boy half held his hands together, "Ninja art, Transformation Jutsu!"

Instantly, the boy turned into a perfect replica of the guard they had just taken out. Shara followed suit, transforming into a replica of their combined form, Shuri-Shara. Going out the door, they met up with the other guard.

"What took so long?" the other agent asked

Shrugging, the disguised boy said, "You know, fighting the kid, getting knocked out, being tied up with pieces of torn clothes, the usual"

Frowning from confusion, the agent barely had time to think before he was hit simultaneously in the face and the gut by both disguised kids. After the remaining agent was knocked out, the two dragged him into the restroom and tied him up the same way as the previous guard.

"Alright," said the disguised Shuri, "I'll go save the Loot while you go get to the Eva"

Nodding, Shara changed back to herself and began to run like the ninja they were towards the Evas. At the same time, Shuri ran back to the collection of guards surrounding their remaining team member.

Upon reaching the site, he was greeted by the sight of all the remaining agents laying around in various poses of pain and unconsciousness. Changing back with a puff off smoke, Shuri went up to the only remaining person standing. Looking over, Hunter nodded to the boy.

Looking around, the boy said, "I guess that you didn't need much help after all"

Smiling, Hunter said, "Years of being in the military as well as living in the jungle helps"

Without another word, the two began running towards the Evas.

* * *

By the Sea of Dirac

All was silent as the clock ticked down to the eminent bombing. Everyone was tense, preparing either for their destruction, or the Angel's. Inside the Evas, both pilots were experiencing waves of nausea or worry. Rei tightened her grip on her controls, the only outward signs of emotion she displayed. In the red Eva, Asuka's face was tight with nervousness and preparation.

Almost a minute from the assault, an alarm blared. Jumping in surprise, both Rei and Asuka turned their Evas to see what the commotion was. To their surprise, all three Evas of the captured pilots were activated and moving.

Rei contacted Ritsuko, "What's going on?"

Ritsuko replied, "The prisoners have escaped, they're in their Evas and making their escape"

Asuka shouted, "I'll get them"

She then extended her slightly weakened AT field and prepared for combat. Almost instantly, a moaning sound could be heard. Turning, Asuka saw that the ball in the sky was beginning to shake. Underneath, the ground where the Sea was began to crack and break.

The three escaping pilots took a moment to look at the Angel before resuming their escape.

"Time to leave" rasped Kaitos, tired after his run to his Eva and breathing heavily

All three then disappeared among the buildings. On the sensors of the base, all three had disappeared.

"I can't get a reading!" Maya said frantically

"Forget them for now, figure out what is happening with that Angel!" Ritsuko shouted back

Behind them, Misato was staring up at the ball as it lost the white stripes and became fully black. The moaning had ceased, although its trembling increased greatly. Looking up, Misato remembered the words of the escaped pilot child, 'A miracle will only happen if you fight to the very end'. Smiling, Misato had faith that Shinji would come out okay

The Angel had finally ceased its trembling and hung there in the sky. Moments later, one side of it began to bulge out, as though something was trying to burst out from the inside. Within moments, an arm pierced the surface. Completely covered in blood and gore, it was soon joined by the other arm as the Angel's blood spewed out. Grabbing the edges of the hole it made, they tore apart the Angel, revealing the trapped unit 01. Roaring in victory, the purple behemoth proceeded to rip the Angel apart, sending trails of blood and gore across the sky. While this was going on, Asuka was staring in shock.

_Am I piloting one of those monsters?_ She thought

There was no other time that the red-head was scared of the machine she was in, or of the boy piloting the monster before her. She was so focused on the bloody Eva that she didn't notice another one sneaking away. That is, until her attention was brought around by the other Eva bumping a car that set off its alarm.

"Aww crap" said a deep voice

Ritsuko looked over and saw the black Eva that had jumped into the Sea after Shinji. Her phone rang, and when she picked it up it was the Commander on the line

"Capture that unit as quickly as possible" came his cold, dead voice

"How-"

"You lost the other units, and I wish to earn more from these people"

Wincing at the reminder of her failure, she assured him and hung up. She then said to the pilots, "Capture that unit"

Immediately, the blue Eva rushed in to grab the black Eva. It had grabbed the foreigner in a bear hug, trapping its arms.

The dark face of the pilot appeared on Rei's screen, "Well, aren't we affectionate?"

At the same time, Shinji's face appeared on her screen. Although her face didn't show it, Rei was intensely relived to see that he was alright.

"Let him go, Rei"

Asuka turned her Eva to face the recently escaped unit 01.

"What do you mean, let him go? We have orders to capture him"

_Barely out and he's trying to take control!_

**_Upstage him and make sure that the prisoner doesn't escape_**

The dark unit twisted around and out of the grip of Rei's Eva. It only got a few steps before it was knocked down by unit 02. It had the wanted man in a head lock, trapping him against the ground.

"Okay, not a comfortable position" Cairn said

Again twisting, he was able to slip his Eva's head out of Asuka's headlock. Angry that he was about to escape, Asuka threw a hard uppercut, sending him flying. When the black Eva landed, it caused several buildings to collapse.

Shinji tried to get Asuka to stop, "Please, Asuka leave him alone!"

Sending him a death glare, Asuka responded, "Stay out of this Third, this time it's my turn to show you how it's really done"

With that, she launched herself at the fallen unit. Without the limitations of the umbilical cable, the Evas have greater range and mobility, as well as being nearly unstoppable with a limitless power source. Landing atop her victim, she then began pounding on the black Eva. After taking a few punches, the black unit grabbed the red unit's arms. It had become a power struggle; both began pushing each other, each trying to force the other into submission. After a few long moments, Asuka seemed to have the upper hand. Then, she lost her balance and was pushed into the air, where she was then kicked by Cairn. Landing on top of unit 01, unit 02 was momentarily stopped.

Wiping his forehead, Cairn said, "I need to leave, see you later Shinji"

With that, he had his unit jump into a growing shadow cast by the rising sun. It then began to sink as the purple Eva had hours before. Within a minute, the unit was completely gone.

Pushing Shinji away, Asuka scrambled up and looked around frantically. Seeing that her target was now gone she screamed.

Turning to Shinji, she yelled, "You BAKA! You let him get away!"

Receiving no reply, she saw that Shinji had fainted in his plug.

Coming up to the inert unit 01 was a rescue team. Misato was up front and was waiting as the rescue team extracted the entry plug that Shinji was trapped in. As soon as the plug opened, the purple-haired guardian pushed past the personnel. Jumping into the plug, she picked up the slumped form of her charge. Pulling him into a hug, Misato began to cry.

Shinji had blacked out, and he was in peaceful slumber when he heard sounds. Realizing that the sounds were sounds of tears he began to wake up. Looking around, he found himself within the clutches of Misato's hug. Reaching up, he had the strength to pat Misato on the back. She then looked up and smiled when she saw that Shinji was alright.

"I wanted to see everyone again" Shinji said before losing conscious

* * *

Nerv Hospital

Shinji was waking up, and once his eyes fully opened he found himself staring up at the ceiling.

"Another unfamiliar ceiling" he said

Noticing a flash of blue to his right, Shinji turned his head to find Rei wearing her school uniform, sitting next to his bed. His eyes opened slightly in surprise.

Rei asked, "I am glad to see you are feeling better"

Pulling himself upright, Shinji replied, ""Yeah, it's good to be back"

The blue-haired girl tilted her head quizzically. Shinji smiled slightly before saying, "While in there, I found myself looking forward to seeing you and everyone else again"

True to form, Rei didn't even blink when he said this, "You can rest today" she got to her feet, "We can take care of everything"

Sitting straighter, Shinji replied, "I'm fine now"

"That's good"

Not showing much surprise, Shinji just watched as Rei walked to the door.

"I'll see you at school later"

Rei stopped momentarily at the unopened door. Turning slightly, Rei asked, "Why do you seem so much more positive"

Shinji flushed slightly and said, "I just learned that you can't always be negative in life"

The door opened revealing an eavesdropping Asuka. Jumping, the red headed girl flushed and jumped out of the way as Rei walked past. Asuka was embarrassed, but unwilling to show it. She heard some chuckling and peeked back into the room to see Shinji holding himself while he laughed.

"Hey, are you laughing at me?"

Stopping himself, Shinji stuttered, "N-n-no, A-Asuka"

Smiling, Asuka was about to say more when she was pushed into the room. Turning angrily, the red-head was about to berate whoever was behind her. She found herself staring at a pink winged, pink robed bird-man. Hearing more laughter, she turned to see Shinji pointing at the weird man while holding his sides.

"Shut up Shinji, there's a reason that I'm wearing pink" the man said in a gruff voice

Between bouts of laughter, the boy was able to gasp out, "But, your wings!"

Frowning, the said, "Blame my team for this. They voted me to be 'cupid'"

Asuka was about to explode, ready to tear someone apart to get some answers when she heard that last part. At the same time, Shinji stopped laughing and looked at the pink bird-man with a look of shock.

Asuka shouted, "What the fuck do you mean, 'cupid'? Who are you?"

Pulling a scroll from the sleeve of his monk style robes, Iak replied, "My name is Iak, and not 'cupid' as in forcing two people to be in love with each other"

Blushing heavily, Shinji asked, "B-but, isn't t-that what cupid does?"

Shaking his head, Iak replied, "No, forcing someone to love someone else is morally wrong, which is why the original is still in prison for the next millennia"

Looks of confusion reigned on the faces of the children, the pink man attempted to elaborate, "Our organization don't enforce laws so much as we make sure to people are being morally right and doing the right thing"

Regaining her composure, Asuka asked, "What organization are you from, 'Bird Brain Losers Convention'?"

Frowning, Iak stepped close and bent down to look the red-head straight in the eyes, "We are an inter-dimensional organization. Our duty is to make the key people in their worlds to make the right decisions to benefit the whole. We are the Avatars of Change, and sometimes morals are what will keep a world from being destroyed."

Leaning closer, causing Asuka to lean back uncomfortably, Iak continued, "I dare you to insult us again"

Feeling scared, Asuka only stepped back, making contact with Shinji's bed. Going up to the girl, Iak was about to go on when he was stopped, oddly enough, by Shinji.

"Leave her alone!"

Swiveling her head, Asuka saw that Shinji had gotten out of bed and looked ready to attack the person. She looked at his face and saw that he had a determined look. Asuka could hardly believe it, Shinji, spineless perverted boy, was standing up for her, defending her.

_Is that really Shinji?_ She thought, _Why is he doing this?_

Once again, her thoughts regarding the boy returned. The girl could not stop herself from thinking that Shinji actually cared for her.

Iak had stepped back when Shinji had gotten up, and was smiling minutely. Opening the scroll in his and, he continued as though nothing had interrupted him.

Clearing his throat, the pink man said, "Alright, we have a few terms that you need to hear"

Pulling herself together, Asuka asked, "Terms to what agreement, you pink loser?"

Looking up from his reading, Iak said, "As I said, I am playing 'cupid', the two of you need to get along far better than this for the future attacks"

Both pilots looked at each other before blushing very hard. Turning back, they yelled simultaneously, "WHAT?"

Going back to his reading, Iak said, "Not in a romantic way, if that's what you wondering about. We need you two to be less, um, argumentive with one another"

Asuka recovered, although still very red, and asked, "Why are you doing this?"

Rolling his eyes, the bird-man said, "Are you going to keep asking questions or are you going to let me continue?"

Ready to argue, the red-head was stopped when she felt a hand on her arm. Turning, Asuka saw that Shinji was there, with a wry look.

"We better listen to what he has to say, he did help me get the strength to get out of the Sea" Shinji said cajolingly.

Despite the need to rip out the bird-man's wings, Asuka couldn't help but calm down. Something about Shinji had changed; he was bolder although he was still a little timid. Even though touching her would normally be rewarded with a beating, Shinji had put his hand on her, stopping her from carrying through with her deed.

Sitting down next to Asuka, Shinji gestured towards Iak to continue.

Nodding his appreciation, Iak resumed, "The terms: one, both Shinji Ikari and Asuka Langley Sohryu are not allowed to be more than five feet away from each other. Two, what one feels, the other feels. Three, the duration of the agreement is to last is not available"

"What?"

"That is what I have said, no exception"

Shinji, looking slightly scared, asked, "Why are you doing this again?"

Rolling up his scroll, Iak replied, "To ensure that this reality is not destroyed, we need the champions of this reality, i.e. the Eva pilots, to be fully prepared for anything"

Bowing, he then walked out of the room leaving two very confused kids. Recovering first, Asuka stormed up to the door.

"Get back here; we still have questions for you"

She had taken about two steps out of the room when she felt a tug strong enough to cause her to fall over. Landing hard on her rear, she heard a yelp of pain from the room that Shinji was in. Walking out, Shinji looked around and found Asuka laying on the ground. Going over, he held out a hand towards the girl.

Smiling ruefully, Shinji said, "Guess we're stuck together"

Asuka looked angrily at him and was about to retort when she felt worry and concern coming from the boy. Surprise showed on Shinji's face as he noticed the same mental connection. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her up. At the same time, Misato came around the corner and spotted the two.

Rushing over, their guardian grabbed Shinji in a bear hug, "I'm so glad to see you're alright"

From his current position, Shinji was having a hard time breathing; he was also unable to speak due to where his face was. Asuka was able to feel the same feeling of discomfort that Shinji was feeling. She was also able to tell that Shinji was unable to breathe

Going up to the crying woman, Asuka pulled her off saying, "Stop, he can't breathe"

Releasing the boy allowed him to regain his breath. Misato turned to Asuka and asked, "Oh, did I disturb you two?"

Going red, Asuka spluttered, "We weren't doing anything!"

Smiling, Misato asked Shinji, "You ready to leave yet?"

Nodding, Shinji went back to his room to change with Asuka following close behind.

Confused, Misato asked, "What are you doing? Shinji's going in to change"

Her face changing into a mischievous smile, "Ohh, I see, decided to move in on him huh?"

Turning as red as her hair, Asuka shouted, "It isn't like that!"

Laughing, the purple-hair woman said, "Then why were going into his room while he was changing? Admit it, you wanted to see him"

The door opened revealing a fully dressed Shinji who had a face as equally red as Asuka's.

"It looks like you missed your chance, but I'll be sure to give the two of you some alone time when we get back"

If possible, the two turned even redder. While they attempted to stop their laughing guardian, she led them to her car. Leaning against the wall on the other end of the wall was the pink-robed and pink-winged Aerolan.

"I still don't see why I had to be the cupid for them" he said irritably

Appearing above him with his feet planted firmly on the ceiling was the ninja Shuri-Shara. He wore a purple sweat shirt with orange cargo pants and sandals.

"You were outvoted, and besides, you have the most experience with matters of love"

Flushing ever so slightly, Iak turned and walked down the hall. Following, the younger one continued to walk on the ceiling.

Breaking the silence, the double voiced boy said, "We may be able to delay the next Angel long enough for things to heat up between those two love birds"

More silence met the boy. Again speaking up, Shuri-Shara asked, "What's wrong?"

Looking the upside-down boy in the eyes, Iak said, "I am still pink. I do not wish to remain so. Change me back, or heads will roll. Literally"

Growing pale, the ninja jumped down next to the pink bird-man. Pulling out his own scroll, he scanned it momentarily before saying, "The spell is supposed to last for eight hours, so I guess you have to sit tight"

Laughing weakly, the boy stepped back a few steps. After a tense moment, Iak resumed walking down the hall, Shuri-Shara following quickly. They soon reached a fire exit and opened the door without triggering the alarm.

Shuri-Shara, tired of the silence, asked, "Are you mad at me?"

"No, but you should know that I am never being the cupid again"

He said this with such vehemence that the boy stepped a couple of feet away from him.

Outside, the two met up with the others. Kaitos was sitting on the curb, massaging his right leg. Hunter stood on lookout while Cairn was juggling some rocks.

"Hey, check it! I told you guys that I can get five going!" he said pleasantly

Seeing that the others had arrived, the dark man dropped the rocks. He was wearing a pair of black jeans that reached just below his knees, a white t-shirt with a black leather jacket unzipped over it, and a pair of black sneakers.

Hunter and Kaitos also got up and moved over to join the group. Hunter was wearing baggy green pants with a green utility vest over a yellow t-shirt and combat boots. Kaitos wore a blue t-shirt with a red sleeveless hooded shirt over it, as well as short white pants and was also wearing sandals.

Nodding to the group, Iak led them away from the hospital. Reaching the end of the street, Iak turned towards Cairn.

"Open a portal" he said tersely

Not arguing, the shadow master opened a portal that was completely dark. Going in one by one, Cairn was the last one in and closed the portal behind him. Their destination was an abandoned building complex on the outskirts of Tokyo-3. In the building was a campsite filled with computers and survival gear.

Sitting in the middle at one of the terminals was a cloaked figure with his hood down. The face of a fourteen year old boy with short blond hair with streaks of red in it was seen protruding from the cloak.

Looking up, the boy said, "Welcome back…"

He saw that one of them was dressed in pink with pink wings and began to laugh uncontrollably. The others silently backed away while saying prayers for the poor boy. Iak walked up to the laughing boy and picked him up by his collar. The boy's laughing had eased, but not stopped.

Getting up close and personal, the winged being asked in a deadly quiet tone, "Do you find something funny?"

Wiping tears from his eyes, he replied, "Yeah, you completely pink" and burst out laughing again.

He stopped laughing as soon as he was bodily thrown through the nearest wall and the wall behind that. Walking over, Kaitos poked among the wreckage while everyone else took seats around the room.

Pulling a dazed kid out by his foot, Kaitos asked, "You alive, or can I use your body for scientific study?"

Coughing, the boy pulled his foot out of the cripple's grip saying, "I'm perfectly fine, thanks for asking"

From the general direction of the kitchen a child's voice came asking, "What in bloody hell is going on out there?"

Coming out, the voice's owner was a ten year old child with dark brown hair wearing suspenders over a white dress shirt with pince-nez (a type of glasses without the parts that go over the ears and stay on by a pair of springs where the nose is) on his face. He was also wearing an apron and holding a wooden spoon.

Stretching on a fold up chair, Hunter replied, "Sorry Keevan, Iak just lost his temper"

Looking over to said person, the boy asked, "Why are you pink?"

Frowning as the others suppressed their laughs, Iak said, "Your spell. The others thought that I would make a great cupid and thought that I should look the part, so they borrowed one of your books and made a color change spell"

Sighing in exasperation, Keevan asked, "Can I see it?"

Handing over the scroll, Shuri-Shara said, "Sorry for not asking permission, but it was sort of last minute"

While the child looked over the spell in the scroll, Kaitos repaired the collapsed walls. The person who was thrown through them sat back down at his console while wincing.

"You didn't have to do that you know" he whined

Sighing, Iak leaned back in his chair and asked, "Where's the other one?"

Pulling out a stick about a foot in length that had a star on its end, Keevan answered, "He went for a walk on the roof"

Waving it, the boy said, "_Reverto ut prius"_

With a flash of light, Iak returned to his normal color, black wings and black robes.

Shaking his head, Shuri-Shara said, "We have to blend in, so why don't you wear some normal clothes?"

Stretching his wings, Iak replied, "Is there any normal human clothes that I could hide these under?"

"They hid well under those cloaks"

Cairn interrupted, "Only because I made them that way"

Throwing his hands up in exasperation, the ninja gave up. Over at the console, the boy said, "I got the location of the Nerv branch in America as well as dates for the activation of unit 04"

At the same time the door opened to reveal their cloaked leader. Going over to the terminal, he said in his cold voice, "If we can delay the activation of the Eva, we may be able to delay the Thirteenth's arrival"

Nodding, Hunter said, "Okay, Kaitos and Cairn, you guys are with me on delaying the next Angel"

Looking unconvinced, Iak asked, "Why are we delaying it?"

Shuri-Shara answered with nervousness, "Well, we thought, since it's impossible to delay the others, and the kids need more time together, it's…"

Angrily, the winged man said, "We are not matchmakers; we change the outcomes of the worldly fates"

Interjecting, the only one still masked, said, "It is all part of changing the worldly fate. By putting Shinji and Asuka together, it becomes easier to change the direction of fate for the world, the only way to stop SEELE and their plans"

Keevan added, "There's that, and the fact that we need more hours for a positive report to the higher ups"

To this, Hunter also said, "Besides, what are you so eager to get back to? Almost everyone in your world wants to kill you. You'd think that being somewhere else is a good thing"

Shuri-Shara looked around and said gleefully, "Looks like it's time for another vote. All in favor of delaying the Angel say 'aye', and all opposed say 'nay'"

There were seven ayes, extras due to the fact that the ninja separated himself for an extra vote. Iak was the only one said nay, and looking around he sighed in resignation.

"All right, we delay the Angel. Hunter, Kaitos, and Cairn will head to America to delay unit 04's activation and delay the Thirteenth's arrival"

Looking perplexed, the boy on the terminal asked, "How long could we delay it?"

Picking up a piece of paper, the crippled traveler worked furiously at a serious of equations before replying.

"I hypothesize that we may delay it for two month's, two and a half tops"

Looking pleased, Shuri and Shara said simultaneously, "Perfect!"

"While on the topic of schedules," Hunter said, "Sai, you and Keevan have to go to school tomorrow, so you better get your things together"

Keevan remarked, "Already done, but I think Sai's going to ditch"

Angry, the boy at the terminal said, "I am not! I'm actually looking forward to school"

Sighing, Iak said, "Do not irritate the children, especially Asuka. She is not going to be in such a nice mood after what you guys made me do to them"

Handing the scroll with the spell used on Shinji and Asuka to Keevan, Iak asked, "Why isn't there a time limit or expiration date on this thing?"

Scanning the scroll, the boy eyes widened dramatically while his jaw dropped. Turning to the winged man, he asked, "Who made this spell?"

Everyone turned their heads toward the twin ninjas as they tried to stealthily sneak away. Despite their ninja abilities, they could not escape the gaze of one angry and one furious people.

The angry Keevan asked, "Where did you get this spell?"

Laughing weakly, Shuri answered, "You know that self you have that's off limits?"

Nodding his head, he motioned them to continue.

Drawing a deep breathe, Shara said, "We borrowed one of them and-"

"Which one?" the boy asked through gritted teeth

Even though the duo was taller, they seemed to shrink under the gaze of the younger boy.

"Um, I think it was called_ Periculosus quod Potent Alica_?" Shara said timidly

Turning red with rage, the boy shouted, "HOW COULD YOU!"

Cringing, the two merged back together and said, "I thought that the best spells would be in there"

Iak asked, "What is going to happen?"

Calming down, Keevan said, "Nothing unless the people affected do something. The spell says that it cannot be cancelled until they do something"

Still deadly calm, Iak asked, "What?"

Shuri-Shara answered meekly, "Until they confess their feelings for each other or until they, um, you know"

Getting up, the avenging angel walked slowly towards the trembling ninja. Everyone else was getting out of the eminent slaughter house. Soon, everyone except the cloaked person and the two conflictors had left.

Deciding enough was enough, the masked man said, "We don't have time to waste, just allow him to proceed with his plan and let the pilots grow closer"

Sighing, Iak sat back down, much to the relief of the ninja who collapsed to the ground. Seeing that there was no blood or screaming, everyone else returned.

Pointing to Hunter, Cairn, and Kaitos, the masked leader said, "Proceed with your mission"

Nodding, the group left through a portal that the dark man opened.

Waving a hand in mock salute, Kaitos said, "Don't kill anyone, or if you do, preserve their bodies"

Stepping through, he was followed by Hunter who gave a strict and correct military salute. Cairn followed after with a wave and said, "We see you when we return, keep things chillin' till then"

Leaning back, Iak asked Keevan, "Is dinner ready?"

* * *

Ninetri9: Okay, I agree to give one Touji Suzuhara and one Kensuke Aida more time shown in this fanfiction.

Touji: Good, and make sure that me and rep get some hot and steamy action

Hikari and Asuka: PERVERT slapping sounds

Kensuke: Hey, when am I getting any action with girls?

Ninetri9: sigh

Kaji: I was wondering…

Ninetri9: Yes?

Kaji: When am I going to show up?

Ninetri9: groan

Misato: Hey guys, I got more beer!

Shinji: Misato, I think that you should cut down on the alcohol

Misato: NO WAY!

Asuka: Seriously, it's bad for your health

Hikari: Why does Pen-Pen have a beer can

Pen-Pen: Wark?

Ninetri9: I'm sure you know the answer to that

Touji: Urgh, what hit me?

Shinji: The girls

Rei: Where are your spare towels?

Ninetri9: You're taking a shower in my bathroom?

Rei: Yes, since last night I have been unable to leave, so I stayed. Now I require a shower.

Shinji: Down the hall, thedoor on the right

Rei: Thank you, Ikari

Ninetri9: How do you know that?

Shinji: Well there was laundry lying around, so I thought…

Ninetri9: sighNever mind. Okay, that's the end of another chapter, so I hope that you enjoyed it…

Touji: Yeah right, we weren't in it

Kensuke: Yeah

Ninetri9: Please R&R and I'll get back as soon as possible

Iak: I think you should also apologize for the lack of warning in the last chapter

Ninetr9: Thanks. I apologize if the last chapter seemed a little off track from the original storyline and if it seemed all touchy feely. From now on, I will try to make it less so in future chapters

Touji: Hey, what happened to our written agreement?

Hikari: Where did you last leave it?

Shinji: I think it was around here

Kaji: Oops, sorry but I used it as a tissue

holds up sodden paper

Kensuke: Aww man

Ninetri9: Guess I don't need to do anything

Touji: Hey, get back here!

Shinji: I guess that's all there is

Hunter: See you all later


	10. Normalcy, or Not

Chapter 10: Normalcy, or Not

* * *

Asuka: Hey, any of you guys see the author?

Misato: Now that you mention it, I haven't seen him or Kensuke or Touji

Kaji: I think I saw them leave the building a while back

Shinji: So who's writing this chapter?

Rei: It is logical to assume that we are

Hunter: I think that might not be the best idea

Asuka: Why? We can write this however we want, and I can finally get together with Kaji!

Ninetri9: Don't think so

Shinji: Gah! Where'd you come from?

Ninetri9: I spent the last few days trying to lose the other stooges and I only just lost them

Misato: Come on, just give in and give them what they want

Ninetri9: pulls out paperThey want to be the heroes, have places in Nerv, and have lots of cash, Touji to have a harem of beautiful women, and Asuka to be Kensuke's girlfriend

Asuka and Shinji: WHAT!

Ninetri9: Oh, they also want Misato to be their maid, and Shinji their butler

Misato: WHAT!

Rei: Is there anything in that contract about me?

Ninetri9: Yeah, they want you paired with one of my characters and leave this dimension, then return older with technology to help them take over the world

Silence

Asuka: I'm going to kill those stooges!

Hikari: What's going on?

reads paper given to her

Hikari: I'm coming with you

Misato: Save some for me

Shinji: Um, don't kill them; they're still needed for the story

Ninetri9: Let them, now girls, choose your weapons

Asuka takes a machete, Hikari picks up a steel bat, and Misato picks up semi-automatic

Rei picks up chainsaw

Hunter: Rei, why are you going with them?

Rei: It's bad enough being involved in one plot, I do not want to be part of another

Ninetri9: sighMight as well get this started. Disclaimer, I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters in this fiction, if there is any resemblance to any characters of other stories or to real people it is purely coincidental

Asuka: It's time to go hunting!

Hunter: I better go after them before things get too hectic

Kaji: I think I'll go with him as well

Ninetri9: I hope this brings some peace and quiet

* * *

Katsuragi Residence

Loud laughter could be heard emanating from the apartment where Misato and her two charges lived. Inside, the said guardian can be found rolling around, holding her sides while laughing. Sitting on the couch were two very red-faced teenagers.

Gasping, Misato asked, "S-say that a-again, Ha ha, the two of you, snort are stuck together?"

Both said, "Yes"

At this, Misato burst out laughing harder than ever. Pen-Pen came out to see what the commotion was all about and saw his owner rolling around laughing. Waddling up to the kids, he warked.

"Shut up Pen-Pen," Asuka growled, "this is not the time"

Shinji could feel the growing anger that was coming across the mental connection and was growing worried. Resigning himself to the upcoming eruption, he got up and headed to the kitchen to cook dinner. He had barely reached the door when a tug swept him off his feet and onto his backside. The yelp of pain from the living room emphasized their connection.

Getting up and rubbing her aching backside, Asuka turned and berated the boy, "Watch it you dummkopf, what the hell were you doing?"

Mumbling something about making dinner, the red-head felt waves of fear and guilt coming from the boy. Feeling bad, she went over and helped the boy to his feet.

Misato had finally recovered and had stopped laughing, although she still had a huge grin.

"Well this is interesting. I wonder where these people were when the Sixth Angel was attacking"

Flushing, Asuka said, "Quit joking around and figure a way to undo what those guys did!"

Passing the children into the kitchen, Misato grabbed a beer from the fridge and sat down. Asuka joined her while Shinji went to prepare dinner.

After a moment of silence, Misato said, "I'm sorry, but I don't see how we can fix this problem"

Asuka said in a pleading voice, "Please, there has to be some way to separate us"

Shinji was preparing to cook, but he was having a hard time concentrating with the embarrassment and rage that was coming from his red-headed companion.

Taking a deep breathe, Shinji turned to Asuka and asked, "Could you please calm down? I'm having a hard time concentrating."

Looking peeved, Asuka was about to tell Shinji to shut up when Misato spoke up, "Don't worry Shinji, I'll give you a break tonight. We can order out today"

Going to the phone in the living room, Misato dialed the number for the nearest pizza shop and ordered some pizza pies. In the kitchen, Shinji put away the cooking utensils and sat at the table opposite Asuka. They just sat there, staring at one another, sensing the emotions of the other.

Shinji felt anger and annoyance coming from the red-head. He could understand that she would be annoyed that they were stuck like this, but he did not understand why she was so angry. Pulling out his SDAT, he put the buds in his ear and lost himself in the music.

Asuka was fuming, she hated being near the boy who had prove himself better than her. She did not want to be in the same room as him, but could not do anything about it because of the stupid pink bird-man. Seeing Shinji losing himself to the music of his SDAT, she felt waves of calm covering over the nervousness and fear that was originally present. Recalling when she had caught Shinji playing his cello, she remembered the serene look on his face while he played. Feeling the calm coming across the link made her realize how much that Shinji enjoyed music.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Misato came back into the kitchen. Sitting between the two kids, she had a more serious face on. Touching Shinji on the shoulder to get his attention, she waited for him to collect himself. Taking a deep breathe, Misato went into a discussion of their current situation.

"Okay you two, we are having a talk to figure out what has been going on."

Turning to Shinji, she asked, "First, Shinji, you said that you had gotten help from this man, Iak, from earlier when you were in the Sea, right?"

Receiving a nod from the boy, Misato continued, "And he came into your ward while Asuka was visiting"

Flushing, Asuka said, "I was just seeing if he was okay, one professional to another"

Smiling slightly, Misato continued, "Then he put some sort of weird love spell on you guys and left you hanging"

Shinji flushed when he said, "It isn't a love spell actually, because he said that forcing people to love each other was morally wrong"

Taking another gulp from her can, Misato resumed, "Until we get this sorted out, just go through life as normal"

Asuka roared, "There is no way that I can go to school with that baka like this!"

Pulling some papers from her pocket, their guardian said, "I got some papers that will get you out of gym, the most I can do until I get things sorted with the higher ups"

Growling in frustration, Asuka stormed out of the kitchen with Shinji following to prevent her from falling when they reached the end of the tether. Sitting on the couch as far away from each other as possible, the two watched TV until the pizza arrived. While they were eating in the kitchen, no one spoke. Shinji was in a worried silence, Asuka in a furious silence, and Misato in a smiling silence. After the dishes were done, the two kids left the kitchen. Shinji sniffed himself and smelled the residue of LCL on his skin.

Sensing some revulsion, Asuka assumed it was toward her and turned to berate the boy when she saw him sniffing himself. Realizing that he was still covered in LCL, she calmed down slightly.

"Need a bath Third?" she asked

Nodding, Shinji grabbed his toiletries from his room and the two headed for the bathroom. Stopping at the door, the two glanced at each other flushing. Misato saw them and chuckled, seeing their dilemma.

"Why not take a bath together?" she said teasingly

Both blushed very hard and yelled, "Misato!"

They heard a knock at the window. Looking over, they saw Iak outside on the patio. Rushing over to open the windows, Misato asked with a smile, "You the one who helped put them together?"

Both Asuka and Shinji yelled, "Misato!"

Ruefully smiling, Iak bowed to them and said, "Yes, I wish to apologize for the inconvenience"

Growing very angry, the red-headed girl charged the winged man only to be drawn short by the tether between her and Shinji. Ignoring the snort of laughter from their guardian, Shinji pulled up his flat mate.

Going up to Iak, Shinji asked, "Could you take this spell or whatever it is off of us, please?"

Surprised at his boldness, Asuka sensed seriousness from the boy and an iron resolve. Looking at the robed man, she saw him pull out a scroll from his sleeve.

Unrolling it, Iak said , "I'm sorry, but due to irresponsibility of certain people of the team, the spell cast on you is permanent until certain parameters have been met"

Jumping up to the man, Asuka demanded, "Well, tell us what they are!"

Sighing, he asked, "Please sit down, you are not going to like what I'm going to tell you"

After waiting for everyone to sit, Misato on the sofa, Asuka and Shinji sat next to each other on the couch, Iak took a deep breath.

"The spell will wear off on one of two conditions"

Seeing that everyone was listening closely, Iak continued, "One, is that the two of you tell each other, with all honesty from the depths of your heart and soul that you love each other and kiss"

Both teens blushed a deep red when he said this while Misato chocked on her beer laughing.

Jumping up, Asuka yelled, "There is no way that I would ever get that close with that spineless boy!"

Shinji could feel the shame and embarrassment that she felt and bowed his head to hide his red face. He himself felt his own waves of embarrassment as he recalled his feelings for the red head yelling at the winged man.

Asuka felt Shinji's embarrassment and thought that she sensed something else, but couldn't tell what it was. She turned back to see Iak holding his hands out.

"You may reconsider after you hear the second option"

Sitting back down, she asked, "How much worse could it get?"

Flushing, the man seemed to have a hard time saying it, "Well, the second option is that, um, you, err, that is, the two of you, uhh…"

Annoyed, Asuka yelled, "What is it?"

Drawing a deep breath, Iak said, "The other condition is that the two of you 'become one'"

For a few moments nobody said anything as they digested what the man said. It was Misato's red face and muffled laughter that first clued Asuka in.

"Why are you laughing Misato?" she asked in a deadly tone

Calming herself, their guardian said, "Before anything else happens, I think it may be time for, the 'talk'"

Taking a moment to digest this, Asuka soon turned redder than her hair. Sensing the huge waves of shock and embarrassment, Shinji grew sort of worried.

"What are you talking…" he began before it dawned on him as well

Looking at the ceiling, Iak said tersely, "You seem to have finally understood my words"

Loud enough to be heard across the city, Asuka screamed, "YOU PERVERT!"

Jumping back from Asuka's assault, Iak said calmly, "If you will do neither, then you might as well get comfortable, because there is no other way, short of death"

Sitting back down, the red-head was in shock. Her reputation would be ruined if she was seen so much around Shinji, and would cause rumors to spread rampant about her. Shinji was of two minds; one part of him was glad to be with Asuka, another said that he should be ashamed of taking advantage of the situation.

Again pulling out the scroll, Iak said, "It's not all that bad, I can provide a little assistance. Remember, you can still be at least five feet between you, so it's not like you have to be extremely close to each other"

Seeing that no one was going to say anything else, he turned to leave. Before he got too far, Iak was stopped by Misato.

A serious look on her face, Misato asked, "Why are you people doing this?"

"It's our job and duty, Major"

Sighing, the winged man gave a card to Misato. Turning it over, she saw that one side had a picture of a flying crow and the other had an infinity symbol on it.

"The number on theside with the crow will get you in contact with me; the number on the other side will put you in touch with our organization's complaint department"

Seeing the incredulous look on the purple-hair guardian, Iak elaborated, "There have been many complaints, and the people in the field can't always deal with it, so a department was made specifically for this"

Bowing, he exited the apartment via the patio. Stretching his wings, he turned back to the inhabitants.

"You should take the time to enjoy yourselves"

Everyone, even Asuka recovering from shock, looked up at him

"The next Angel is to attack in about two months from now. Meaning, since it is now November (I'm making up dates), the Angel will appear sometime in January"

Misato was about to ask a question when the bird-man jumped off the patio and took off into the darkening sky. They all rushed to the window in time to see him circle once before vanishing.

Going back into the living room, Misato sat down with a beer. Turning her head, she saw that Shinji and Asuka were conversing. A moment later, the two headed towards the bathroom. Going from experience, Misato knew that the bathroom could be a nice place to do you-know-what. Freaking out, she ran around the corner in time to see Shinji enter the bathroom, but Asuka was sitting outside,

Seeing her relieved face, Asuka immediately understood Misato's thoughts, "You may be a disgusting person, but even you wouldn't think that"

Smiling, Misato took a seat next to the girl. Putting her arm across her shoulder, she trapped the girl, even though Asuka was unable to move much further anyway due to the spell.

"Asuka, I think that we need a talk"

Freaking out, the red-head said, "No, we don't. There is no way that I am doing that with HIM"

Laughing, Misato calmed the girl explaining, "No, not _that_ talk, although we will have to fairly soon. We need to talk about your relationship with Shinji"

Blushing, Asuka said, "What relationship? There is nothing between us!"

Sighing, Misato decided to tip her hand, "Then why did you really go to see Shinji? It was for far more than professional interests"

Turning her head angrily, Asuka refused to say anything. Letting the silence stretch out, Misato gave some time for Asuka to think things over.

After a few long moments, the red-head said very softly, "I was a little worried about him"

Misato was barely able to hear this, and would have thought that she imagined it had she not seen the flush on Asuka's face.

Patting gently on her shoulder, Misato said, "There's nothing to be ashamed about. It's natural to feel worried about a friend"

Asuka flushed some more, but didn't say anything. Letting a small smile appear on her face, the purple-haired buxom gave the girl a light hug

"It's okay to feel what you do. It's a part of being human"

In the bathroom, Shinji couldn't hear much laying in the bathtub, but he felt the emotions that were coming from Asuka. First was a wave of disgust, then anger. After that was confusion and worry. Not really understanding, Shinji could only lean back as he went over the recent events. First was the warning from Iak on the bus, then he sees him and his friends during the recent Angel attack. Later, he and Asuka were bonded together due to a spell cast by the bird man. Remembering what Iak looked like, Shinji couldn't help but let a chuckle of amusement come out. After he let that out, he sighed as he remembered the predicament they were in. He was afraid of being rejected by Asuka, and worse, afraid of hurting the girl he liked. Sinking up to his eyeballs, Shinji began asking himself why his life seemed so bad.

* * *

Nerv HQ

Inside the Commanders office, another discussion was going on. Ritsuko stood in front of the Commanders desk, feeling very nervous but not showing it. The sub-commander, Fuyutsuki, looked over the reports that were given by the doctor.

Sitting at the desk with the lower half of his face concealed by folded hands was the king of misery and pain, Commander Gendo Ikari. He had already looked through the report and was silent.

After a long moment of silence, the Commander said, "It is most unfortunate that this has occurred. But, we still have learned things of importance"

"Sir," Ritsuko said in a steady voice, "it still is only a fraction of what could be learned"

"Nevertheless, it seems that a new outside force is affecting our reality"

Picking up the report, he scanned it again. There wasn't much in it, and the bulk of it is made up of a medical report from when one of the pilots was moved to the medical facility. Looking back up, Gendo asked for his old sensei's opinion on the matter.

Clearing his throat, Fuyutsuki said, "It appears that they are attempting to usurp the scenario made by you and SEELE. It also appears to me that they have great experience, meaning that they have done things like this before"

Nodding, Gendo said nothing.

Ritsuko took the opportunity to add, "The upgrades done to our Evas have finally been put in correctly and are working at peak efficiency"

Fuyutsuki asked, "What have you learned about the travelers' Evas?"

Looking through her own notes, Ritsuko said, "Because of circumstances, we were only able to glean small amounts. All three of the Evas were similar to our own, except that they are even far more human than ours"

Raising an eyebrow in query, Fuyutsuki asked, "How close?"

Pausing, the doctor took a deep breathe before saying, "99.999"

Eyes widening, Fuyutsuki said, "Impossible! There can be no way that their Evas could come that close"

Interrupting, Gendo asked, "What of the travelers themselves?"

Again referring to her notes, Ritsuko said, "The only one we studied in depth was the one called Kaitos. Preliminary studies show that he has severe damage to his right side: lung withered, bones gnarled, muscles almost destroyed, almost every inch of his limbs have been reinforced with metal braces to allow him to move. From the reports, it's almost a miracle that he was even alive"

"We have to assume that they can perform miracles" Gendo said neutrally

Nodding, Ritsuko continued, "Blood tests confirm that they are indeed human, although their abilities are unnatural. The child Shuri-Shara has been labeled as a ninja and the cripple appears to be able to alter physical substances"

Looking over the pictures taken, one of Kaitos exiting a window amidst steam and of two people leaving the restroom and attacking the other guard, they saw that they were formidable. Going from one to the other, the discussion continued for about an hour.

Looking at his watch, Fuyutsuki tapped Gendo on his shoulder to get his attention. Nodding his understanding, Gendo motioned for Ritsuko to finish.

Clearing her throat, the faux-blonde concluded, "I do not know if they are a threat, but it would make sense that they are people we could trust. Still, it would be wise to keep watch for them."

After concluding, Ritsuko collected her things, bowed, and then left the office. After a few quiet moments, Fuyutsuki asked, "Will this affect your scenario?"

Not saying anything, Gendo only sat there, face hidden by interlaced fingers. From the look on his face it could be told that he was deeply thinking.

Long moments later, the king of all bastards said his will, "When next they come, they must be kept from the pilots at any cost"

Surprised, the old teacher asked, "Why, how could they be such a danger?"

Getting out of his seat, Gendo walked towards the door with Fuyutsuki following.

"They give hope to the Third, and for the scenario to work, he must be prepared by the Angels"

He then left the office, leaving the old man alone.

_How low have you gone?_ Fuyutsuki thought, _I am beginning to wish I have never met you_

With that he left, unaware of the spies in the ceiling. Both Shuri-Shara and Keevan were in the ventilation and observing the events below. In their awkward positioning they were barely able to listen in to the conversation or the thoughts emanating from the crystal ball Keevan brought.

Shifting slightly, the boy said, "This is not good"

Raising an eyebrow, the ninja asked, "How is it not good? Sure they know something about us, but it isn't a lot"

"No, I mean that I'm beginning to lose feeling in my legs. I am so out of here before I can't move"

With that he left, albeit very clumsily. It was most fortunate that no one was close enough to here the light clangs from the ventilation.

Following the younger boy, much more quietly, Shuri-Shara continued making conversation, "Do you think we should tell the others about this?"

Shrugging, the boy said, "Maybe, they probably know already, but it wouldn't hurt to tell them"

Nodding, Shuri-Shara and Keevan finished their escape in silence

* * *

The Next Day

After much talk, and arguments, the paired kids were in Shinji's room. Being the gentleman he was, the boy let Asuka sleep on his bed while he slept on a futon on the floor.

Rousing himself from slumber, Shinji felt something warm against his back. Shifting himself to see what it was, he was shocked to see Asuka's face no more than an inch away from his. His mind went into total lock down and he couldn't move. After seeing that the red-head wasn't waking up soon, he slowly eased away from her, only to find that she had her arms wrapped around him, pinning his arms. Unable to move, Shinji began to panic a little. Looking back at the girl's face, he saw content in her features as well as across their mental link. Relaxing, Shinji took the moment to look at the features of the girl he had a crush on.

Soon enough, Asuka began to wake up. Knowing that if she saw them like this, he would suffer badly, so closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep, praying that she would be fooled. Asuka opened her blue eyes and found herself mere inches away from the face of Shinji. Her first thought was outrage, and then she took a look and saw that her arms were around him, pinning him down. Looking at the boy, Asuka sensed fear emanating from him. Realizing that he was awake, she would normally beat on him, but due to circumstances, it would not be a good idea.

Pulling away from the boy, she said, "Get up Third, you aren't fooling anyone"

Opening his eyes, Shinji sat up and said, "Sorry"

Batting him lightly on the head, the red-head said, "Stop apologizing for every little detail"

Asuka then got up and headed for the door. Sliding it open, she asked, "You coming, because I need to shower"

Remembering the terms to the spell, Shinji nodded and went with her to the bathroom. Sitting outside the door, he pulled out his SDAT and lost himself to the music.

Opening her door, Misato came out dressed in her sleeping attire consisting of extremely short shorts and a small sleeveless shirt. Passing the boy, she entered the kitchen. Moments later, one could hear the chugging of beer followed by the usual Misato's First-Beer-Cry. Looking up in her newly awakened state, she smelled breakfast. At the same time, Misato heard the shower going. Growing confused, she looked around the corner to see Shinji sitting outside the bathroom. Even more confused, the purple-haired woman turned her head again to see who was cooking. If it wasn't Shinji, Asuka, or herself, then who could it be?

Looking, she saw that someone was at the stove cooking breakfast. A girl with light brown wings. Doing a double take, Misato saw the girl turn around. The girl appeared to be more or less around the kids' age; she had shoulder lengthpale blonde hair and green eyes, with afiguresimilar to Asuka's. She wore baggy pants and robe style shirt, which had slits on the back to allow the wings through, and an apron.

Smiling, the girl said, "Good morning, Katsuragi-san"

Confused, Misato replied, "Good morning whoever you are"

Bopping herself on the head, the girl said, "Sorry, I didn't introduce myself. My name is Rikku Naori, Iak sent me to help the kids till the spell wore off"

Hearing gasps, Misato turned to see that Asuka had finished with her shower, and that both she and Shinji saw their new guest.

Waving a greeting at the kids, Rikku said, "Breakfast will be finished momentarily, and your lunches have also been prepared and are in the fridge"

Seeing that no one was moving, the bird-girl put her hands on her hips and said in mock anger, "Well, are you going to stand there like statues?"

In a few moments everyone was at the table getting ready to eat breakfast. Set on the table was a variety of dishes, most of which none of them had ever seen. One plate had something akin to pudding, but was green and covered in blue specs, another had orange rice, and another had some sort of soup filled with green leaves and orange orbs.

Looking from one face to another, Rikku had a look of worry on her face, "Well, why don't you try it?"

Being the gentleman, Shinji became the guinea pig for everyone else. Picking up a spoon, he scooped some of the green pudding on his plate. Taking a deep breath, he took a spoonful and ate it. Everyone looked at him, awaiting his reaction.

With a look of surprise on his face, Shinji said, "It's good, really good!"

Smiling, Rikku said, "Good, because I'll be taking care of meals while you and Asuka are stuck like this"

Surprised, Asuka asked, "You'll be cooking for us?"

Pointing at the girl, the bird-woman said, "The two of you have different lifestyles and schedules, and so have a hard time working together. Until you settle how you live, I will be here to help you"

Nodding, the red-head dug in. Her face lit up when she tasted the orange rice. Misato was trying the soup and found it delicious.

"What are these things called?" the guardian asked

Rikku first pointed to the soup Misato was drinking, "That is Corin Leaf soup, refreshing and also good as herbal medicine for sore throats"

Pointing to the other dishes, "That is Aponi with blueberries, and the rice is Abathan"

"It's very good" Shinji said

After breakfast was finished and the dishes done, the kids changed and got ready for school. Leaving the building, the two walked towards school. Asuka was near the end of her tether in front of Shinji. Neither of them spoke to each other during the entirety of the trip. They stopped at the entrance to the school, and just stood there.

Turning to the nervous boy, Asuka said in a deadly tone, "Do not tell anyone what has happened, understand?"

Gulping, Shinji replied, "H-h-hai"

Nodding, the German girl than began to walk into the building with Shinji following close behind. Upon entering the class room, the two looked at the desks, then at each other. They didn't know if the space between their desks was more than five feet or not. Shinji sat near the middle of the class while Asuka sat closer to the front on the right side. Trying, the two went to their seats and prayed they wouldn't fall. Good news was, they could sit in their seat, bad news was that they were near the breaking point of the connection, and had to be extremely careful about moving too much.

Hikari and the two remaining stooges were in the classroom at the time and noticed the look that their friends gave to each other. Wondering what was going on, the class rep went up to her friend to talk. The stooges had gathered up and were already pestering Shinji with questions.

Going up to the red-head, Hikari asked, "How are you?"

Looking up, Asuka gave a wry smile, "Hey Hikari, I'm fine, you?"

Smiling, the brunette nodded. Looking over at the boys, she saw that Shinji was looking tired as his friends bombarded him with questions

"How's Ikari doing? I heard that something happened during the last attack"

Looking over at Shinji as well, Asuka replied, "As you can see, he's perfectly fine"

Noting the tone in the red-head's voice, Hikari was about to inquire more when the teacher walked into the room. Everyone went to their seats and they went through the routine. Moments later the teacher made an announcement.

"Uh, class, as I have announced earlier, we have two new students joining us today. Please come in"

The last comment was made to the people outside the class. Entering, the first person was a boy about fourteen with a height and physique similar to Touji. He had short blonde hair that had streaks of red in it and light brown eyes. The girls began to quietly converse with each other, apparently they thought that he was cute. The only people unaffected was Rei, Asuka, and, oddly enough, Hikari.

"Greetings everyone, it's a pleasure to be in your class. My name is Sai Batu, and I hope that we will all get along" he said in a voice that Asuka thought very familiar.

The next person to come in was a surprise to everyone, although Rei still doesn't show much emotion. The person was a boy about ten years with dark brown hair and pale green eyes. He was also wearing pince-nez, indicating his vision problems.

Bowing shyly to the class, he introduced himself, "H-hello, m-my name is K-Keevan M-m-Markan. I hope that we c-can be f-friends"

For a moment nobody said anything, the silence stretching greatly. The boy grew even more uncomfortable and looked ready to run when the girls began to greet the child. All the boys looked surly since the new kids were garnering all the attention. After a few moments of this Hikari decided to bring the class back under control, "Okay everyone, sit back down and chill"

Everyone became quiet again and the teacher resumed, "Hem, okay, Batu, you can take the seat behind Asuka, the red-head girl, and Markan, you can sit there, behind the blue-head, err, Rei"

After settling in their seats, the teacher began his lecture. As per usual, people were sleeping, gossiping, or otherwise using their time differently. Shinji was staring off into space when he sensed that Asuka was feeling uncomfortable. Glancing at the girl, he could not tell what was wrong, so he opened his laptop to contact her.

The red-head looked up when her laptop pinged, telling her someone wanted to contact her. Opening it, she saw that it was Shinji. Looking over at the boy, Asuka felt concern emanating from the boy. Knowing that his concern was concentrated on her discomfort, she opened up a chat room with Shinji.

Lost1: Hey Asuka, are you okay?

RedChamp1: Of course I am

Lost1: You are not; I can feel that you're not comfortable

Asuka cringed at the reminder of their connection

RedChamp1: Okay, I am

Lost1: Why?

RedChamp1: …

Lost1: Asuka, please

RedChamp1: I need to use the bathroom

At this Shinji flushed, he knew that this was going to be a problem. Looking up, he saw that Touji and Kensuke were looking at him.

SportStar has entered the chat room

1LtFreak has entered the chat room

SportStar: Yo, Shinji, what's going on?

1LtFreak: Why are you and the red devil chatting?

SportStar: You haven't lost your soul to her, have you?

1LtFreak: NOO, we lost him!

Lost1: Leave us alone

SportStar: You two have hooked up!

RedChamp1: NO WAY, stay out of this stooge

* * *

A/N: New screen names for new students

Keevan-MagMas

Sai-KinSl

* * *

MagMas has entered the chat room

KinSl has entered the chat room

KinSl: Hey what's going on?

Lost1: How'd you get in?

MagMas: Ask the other on, Sai I think

KinSl: Hacked it, very easy

Everyone was surprised; even though it wasn't all that hard to hack someone, it was hard enough that one had to be experienced

SportStar has been kicked out

1LtFreak has been kicked out

RedChamp1: How'd you do that, I didn't know it was possible to kick someone off a chat room

KinSl: Hacker

MagMas: Don't worry; they'll think they're still in the chat room

Lost1?

KinSl: Programmed simulated conversation in their laptops

At this, both Shinji and Asuka had the same feeling of surprise. If someone can program a computer like that, what else can that person do?

MagMas has left the chat room

KinSl: I think the two of you need some alone time

KinSl has left the chat room

For a few moments, neither Shinji nor Asuka did anything. When the bell rang, Asuka messaged to Shinji. Both of them got up and left the room together. The others in the classroom were curious of the going on between Shinji and Asuka, but were afraid to query due to the rumors of the wrath of the German devil.

That is, everyone but the two remaining stooges. They were extremely curious, especially after figuring out that they were chatting with simulated people. The two followed them and saw that Shinji was waiting right outside the girls' bathroom. They ran up to him, causing him to grow even more nervous and frightened.

"What are you doing here Shinji?" Kensuke asked recording with his camera

Shinji only flushed and refused to say anything

Touji grabbed him by the arm and tried to drag him away, "Come on bud, we need to talk"

They had not gone far when Touji and Shinji fell flat on their backs. Kensuke was laughing as the others got back to their feet.

"Dude, what was that for?" the jock asked angrily

Shinji stammered, "I-I-I'm s-s-sorry, b-but I c-can't leave"

Kensuke was about to ask why when Asuka came out of the girls' room. Kensuke put two and two together and gaped at the two of them. Touji pulled Shinji up and attempted to drag him away.

Again they were tossed on their backs before going too far. From around the corner came the class rep, who saw the two sprawling on the ground.

"What's going on here?" she asked with hands on her hip

Touji got up and was attempting to mollify the raging girl while Kensuke looked on with laughter. Amidst the confusion, both Shinji and Asuka had sneaked away, back to class.

Back in class, Keevan was being mobbed by the other students who wanted to know more about the boy.

"Where are you from?"

"E-England"

"How old are you?"

"T-t-ten"

While the interrogation was going on, Sai was laughing quietly at the cornered boy. Leaning back, he went back to his planning. He wanted to perfect his computer program so that no problems would occur during its maiden voyage. While working, he noticed the entrance of the two ensorcelled kids. Smiling slightly, Sai began the secret plan that the others made in the absence of the more serious people in the team.

Checking for witnesses, he pulled out a small jar of oil and poured some of it in the two kids' path. The two walked in and headed for their seats. In moments, they reached the oiled spot.

Asuka was the first to step on the slicked tiles, and she began to fall backwards. Shinji sensed the surprise across their bond and turned in time to catch Asuka's falling body. Flailing her arms, Asuka accidentally caused Shinji to fall, with her on top of him.

Asuka had braced herself for impact when she felt something soft catch her. Shocked, her first instinct was to flail out in self-defense. She felt the pain of impact with the ground, but more muted, as though it was a memory of the impact.

Looking over, the red head was surprised to see that she was sitting on top of Shinji. She could only look on in surprise at the boy. Suddenly feeling conspicuous, she got up and went to her seat. Shinji had a wry smile as he returned to his seat.

Soon class resumed, and everyone went back to either zoning out or otherwise using their time differently. Asuka sat at her desk staring out at nothing. She could not stop herself from going over what had happened. She walked into the classroom, headed for her seat, and slipped on the ground. As she was about to fall, she was caught by Shinji, the boy she couldn't stand. Once again, he had helped her out, and she could not figure out why.

Lunch came, and in order to avoid embarrassment from their peers, they left to go to someplace private. They were sitting under a tree far from the school. Remembering the breakfast they had, they opened their bento boxes to be surprised to find regular Japanese food instead of the exotic food that their guest had made. There was rice, steamed vegetables, and some fish in their boxes. The two sat down and ate their breakfast in silence.

Unbeknownst to the two, they had been followed by Hikari, who was worried by their behavior. Peeking from behind the tree, she saw that Shinji and Asuka were sitting under a tree eating lunch together. The class rep allowed a smile to appear upon her face, she was glad that the two of them had finally gotten together. She was about to leave when she heard them talking. Not helping herself, Hikari listened in on them.

"Hey Shinji"

He looked over at Asuka, "Yeah?"

Leaning back, the red-head said quietly, "Thank you"

Flushing, Shinji asked, "For what?"

Also turning red, Asuka said, "For saving me during the Angel attack, and for earlier"

Looking away, the red faced boy said, "I-It's no problem"

After that, the two red faced teens were silent, each feeling the turmoil of emotions from the other. Their unseen spy silently slipped away, glad that the two had finally gotten together.

Unknown to any of them was another pair of spies, Shuri and Shara. Silently laughing, the two slipped away.

"Match made in heaven" Shara said boisterously

"Yep, some matches just seem to happen" Shuri said shyly

The two of them made ninja leaps, headed towards base to make their reports

* * *

Later that Day

School had ended, and everyone was heading home. Shinji and Asuka had already left to avoid any awkward questions. Walking home as quietly as they had left, they shared quick glances at one another. The turmoil in their heads had not gone away, and they could not have the liberty of privacy to sort through them. Arriving at their apartment, they entered their home

"We're home" the duo said in unison

"Welcome back"

Misato was still in her sleeping attire and was watching TV while drinking beer. From the general direction of the bathroom came sounds of someone being violently sick.

Asuka asked, "What's going on?"

Waving a hand dismissively, their guardian said, "That's Rikku, I don't know what is wrong with her, but she's been like that all afternoon"

Walking as far as he could, Shinji called out, "Are you okay, Naori-san?"

Coming out of the bathroom, one could see that the bird-girl was not feeing well. Her wings were dragging, the feathers dull, her face was pale and slightly haggard.

"Not really," the girl rasped, "I had some of Katsuragi's cooking for lunch"

Ducking back into the bathroom, Shinji and Asuka turned to Misato, who sat as though nothing was happening.

"You are cruel," the red-head said, "She's our guest and you try to kill her"

Shrugging, their guardian replied, "She was alright when she finished her plate"

Paling, the two looked at each other. They knew the effects of one bite of Misato's cooking . Nodding their heads in unison, the two teens went to the phone. Picking up the card that Iak had given them, Asuka dialed the number to call the bird-man.

Two ring tones later and the phone was answered, "Hello"

"Is this Iak?" Asuka inquired

"Yes, do you need help Asuka?"

"I don't, but your friend does"

Worry could be heard in the winged one's voice, "Is Rikku alright?"

"Listen for yourself"

And the red-head held the phone towards the bathroom as loud retching noises came out.

"I'm on my way"

The phone hung up, and so the teen also hung up. After a few moments they hearda tapping noise at the window.Everyone turned to see Iak outside the window like the other night. Opening the window, Misato was brushed aside as the black winged man headed towards the bathroom.

Sneaking towards the room, Shinji, Asuka, and Misato listened in on their conversation. Unfortunately, they spoke in a weird language of chirps and whistles, unknown to the inhabitants. All of them except Pen-Pen, who waddled in and added his two cents to the people already inside the bathroom.

Soon, Iak came out carrying a pale Rikku in his arms. Placing her gently on the couch, he took a bottle out and gave the girl a spoonful of the contents.

Putting the jar on the table, Iak said, "She is going to be alright, but I think that you should not cook anymore Misato"

Flushing, Misato grumbled something about her cooking being good enough. Patting the pale girl on the head, Iak said to herone last thing in their odd language and turned to leave.

As he was about to exit, Shinji stopped him by asking, "I thought that the other Aerolans didn't want to be associated with you"

Half turning, the black winged being replied, "I was lucky to find someone who didn't judge someone by their looks or by culture"

Leaving through the same window, Iak flapped his wings and left as quickly as he came.

That evening Shinji cooked dinner, leaving the ailing Rikku to rest from her ordeal. Asuka sat at the table as she watched the boy cook. She felt concern and perplexity from the boy. Obviously, Shinji was wondering what to make for dinner. Feeling confidence that seemed unlike the boy, Asuka watched as he began to cook.

"Hey Shinji"

Not turning, he replied, "Yeah?"

"What did you mean when you said that to Iak?"

Stopping momentarily, Shinji replied, "I saw some of his life while I was in the sea"

Asuka didn't say anything, which prompted him to continue, "He had a bad life, one where he was rejected, like I was"

Tilting her head, the German girl said, "I heard about what happened between you and the Commander"

Resuming, Shinji replied, "Its okay, the past has happened, we have to look past it"

Dinner was served, Rikku, being incapacitated, was given a tray while she lay on the couch. Sitting down, Misato began to ask about the kids' day

"So, did anything new happen?"

Asuka said, "Yeah, we got two new students in our class"

"Really?"

"That's right," Shinji said, "A boy our age and another who's only ten"

Eyes widening, the purple-haired woman said, "Wow, he must be a child prodigy"

Frowning, Asuka said, "Big deal, I went to college at his age, being a few grades ahead is not so special"

Smiling, their guardian teased, "Feeling jealous, eh Asuka?"

Flushing, the red-head denied it. Shinji, however, could feel that she was, and that her pride was threatened by someone younger than they were.

Patting her gently on the shoulder, he said, "Its okay Asuka"

Mollified, Asuka felt waves of compassion coming from the boy and flushed

Seeing her red face, Misato asked, "I see that you two have gotten along better, I guess we had better plan your first date"

Laughing, Misato couldn't help but notice the red tinge on both teens faces as they attempted to stop her. From her position in the living room, Rikku could hear everything that was said. Grimacing, she pulled herself upright and put the tray on the table. She let a smile appear on her face as she compared the two kids with herself and Iak. The herald of destruction tended to keep his emotions to himself, not letting others in so as to prevent harm to himself and others. She herself boasted about her prodigious abilities as well as her skill. Amazing how two opposites, a quiet depressed boy and wild optimistic girl, can make a couple.

Listening to the kids denying their relationship, mostly done by Asuka, Rikku became more firm in her belief that the two would make a great couple. Lying back, she took some more of the medicine that Iak had left for her. Another grumble attested to the poison in the food that Misato had cooked. It was going to be a while before she would ever trust anything touched by that woman.

* * *

Ninetri9: Another chapter done!

Iak: Cutting it off again?

Ninetri9: It was getting too long, I had to stop here

Iak: Whatever

Ninetri9: Care to do the honors?

Iak: sighSure. Thank you for reading this fiction, please R&R and we'll get back as soon as possible

Ninetri9: Thank you

Shuri: Hey any of you see my sister?

Ninetri9 and Iak: No

Shuri: Oh dear, if you do, tell me

Ninetri9: What do you think?

Iak: I'd think she went after the stooges, but I don't understand why

Ninetri9: I'm ending it now; I'm too tired for this. Until next time!


	11. Revelations and a New Home

Chapter 11: Revelations and a New Home

* * *

Ninetri9: Welcome back, and seeing as I have only well behaved guests, I can get this chapter done peacefully

Iak: Good for you

Shuri: I still haven't found my sister

Iak: Which is why he said, 'well behaved'

Keevan: shiverI just saw the girls, they have blood everywhere!

Kaitos: Yippee, stuff for my experiments!

Iak: What experiments?

Rikku: You probably don't want to know

Iak: Good idea

Ninetri9: Did they really kill Touji and Kensuke?

Shinji: I found Kensuke's camera holds up bloody mess of wires or what's left of it

Asuka: Ahh, that feels good!

Hikari: I didn't really enjoy it, but it was refreshing

Rei: I agree

Kaji and Hunter: The blood, the blood

Misato: Wimps, the two of you are trained professionals. How can a little blood frighten you?

Hunter: Never in all my years in the front lines have I seen massacre like that

Kaji: I never realized how much a person can suffer before dying

Kaitos: You should have heard their screams, it was hilarious

Ninetri9: Before it gets any more morbid, can we start?

Shinji: Allow me. He does not own NGE, which belongs to Gainax. He does claim ownership to the characters found in the story. Also, any resemblance these characters may have to characters in other stories or real people are merely coincidental.

Ninetri9: Thank you, and now to start

Shuri: Wait, I still haven't found my sister!

Iak: I'm sure she'll turn up sooner or later

Shara: Hey, I'm back

Shuri: Where were you?

Shara: Out

Ninetri9: Celebrate your reunion somewhere else; I'm doing my story here

* * *

Katsuragi Residence

Asuka woke to find herself hugging Shinji around his waist. She flushed at the contact and the closeness. This was the third time this week that she found herself sleeping with the boy. She slowly pulled herself away, not waking the boy. Asuka then got back onto the bed that Shinji let her sleep in.

_So noble _she thought _he let's me have the bed so I can be comfortable_

Looking down at the boy, she tapped him with her foot, "Hey, baka, get up"

Sensing his awakening, she took the moment to look at the face of the boy she had spent the last week with. She noticed that the sun cast his face in a way to make him look cute. Flushing, she shook her head to banish the image. Getting up, Shinji rubbed his eyes while getting his orientation

"Good morning Asuka"

"Guten Morgen Shinji"

They left and began the daily routine that they had grown accustomed to. First Asuka would go into the bathroom to take her morning shower and Shinji would wait outside listening to his SDAT. In the kitchen, Rikku would be making an Aerolan breakfast, which everyone was beginning to love. Then the teens would prepare for school

The walk to school was again made in silence. Once or twice, the two would sneak glances at each other, only to look away quickly blushing. The two had yet to make any progress.

Following across the rooftops, the ninja Shuri-Shara, would observe the two for any signs of change.

"Another day, and the two still haven't made any progress"

Writing a note, the ninja said, "At this rate, I'm going to lose the bet"

"What bet?"

Jumping in surprise, Shuri-Shara turned and said, "Hey, Iak"

The black winged being had snuck up on the ninja, the only one who had successfully done so. And this was his new record, only two inches from his face.

"I ask again, what bet?"

This time he said this in a deadly tone.

Nervously rubbing his hands, the ninja stepped back.

"Um, well, me and Kaitos, we have a bet about how long it takes for the two to become a couple, and, um, well…"

Rubbing his forehead, Iak waved his hand, "I can't leave you people alone for two minutes without something like this happening"

Laughing nervously, Shuri-Shara stepped back and jumped away

"Anyway, it's your turn, so I'll see you later"

Sighing, Iak resumed where the ninja left off. Seeing that the two had already made it to school, he took off and landed on the tree closest to the class window. Pulling out a bag, he started to munch on the contents, having missed breakfast.

* * *

Class 2-A

The drone of the teacher and the heat of the summer had almost everyone asleep. Those who were still awake were in clusters gossiping, unnoticed by either senile old man or slumbering class rep. In their own little group, Touji and Kensuke were discussing a very important topic, their best friend and a certain red-headed devil.

"There's something going on between those two, and we need to get to the bottom of it" Touji stated boldly

Pushing his glasses back up his slick nose, Kensuke asked, "How? We can't get to him without being near the devil"

Touji placed a hand on his chin and thought. Being who he was, this was slightly harder than the average person. While he was thinking, or trying to, Kensuke pulled out his camcorder and reviewed a video from earlier. Again looking it over, he noticed something very odd.

Tugging at the jocks sleeve, he whispered, "Look at this"

The two looked at the images of when Shinji was waiting outside the girls' bathroom. After it was concluded with a severe tongue lashing for the jock, the two looked at each other.

"So" Touji said

Sighing in exasperation, Kensuke replayed it, "Look"

After a few minutes of play, the four-eyed otaku paused the video, "There, look!"

The image was of when Touji and Shinji had fallen on there backsides. Looking at where Kensuke was pointing, the jock noticed it to.

It was Asuka rubbing her backside as though she had just fallen on it, even though it was Shinji who had fallen.

Confused, the two looked over the video over and over again, trying to figure out what was happening.

Outside, Iak saw that two of the stooges had acquired a video evidence of the spell on the pilots. Knowing that the two pilots wanted to keep it quiet, he pulled out his cell and made a call

Working at his project, Sai saw the image of someone from their team attempting to make contact with him. Clicking on the icon, a chibi version of Iak appeared on the screen.

"We have a slight problem" the cute version of the black winged man said

Alarmed, the boy whispered, "What's going on?"

Raising his hands, the image said, "Not that deal, personal, not mine"

He then pointed to the stooges, and then to the paired pilots. Sai put two and two together and nodded at the image.

Closing the image, Sai pulled out a device, a small metal cube, from within his bag. Pushing a button on one side of it, he connected to all the electronic objects in the room. Filtering out all but the camera, Sai then began to delete the images in the camera's memory.

Touji and Kensuke could only watch in shock as an image of a shark appeared on the screen and began to eat the contents of the memory in the camera. Pulling himself together, Kensuke pulled out the memory card.

_Nice try, but there's no where to run or hide _Sai thought with an evil grin

His cube continued to delete the contents of the memory card, to which the two stooges were blissfully unaware of. Smiling, he completed his task and put the hypercube away then resumed his project.

* * *

Lunchtime

Touji and Kensuke were on the roof and lamenting over the lost video.

"Aw man," Kensuke whined, "I can't believe I lost everything!"

Sighing, Touji leaned over the guard rail as he finished his sandwich. Looking around, he saw that Shinji and Asuka were headed off somewhere. Nudging the lamenting boy, the two went down to follow the duo.

Iak watched as the stooges followed pilots and frowned. Again pulling out his cell, he made another call.

Keevan had finally gotten some peace and was ready to eat lunch when his phone rang.

Pulling it out, he said, "Hello"

"Keevan, its Iak. Problem, stooges one and two, follow second and third, code: whateverittakes"

"Roger"

Hanging up, the child surveyed his surroundings and spotted the stooges trying to be sneaky. Sighing, he pulled out his wand, making sure no one was looking.

Assured that no one would know, he canted, "_Voco Insects Pester quod Puntum"_, and pointed at the sneaking duo.

Almost instantaneously, a huge swarm of various insects came and attacked Touji and Kensuke. Yelling, the two waved their hands in an attempt to ward off the persistent bugs. Everyone was laughing at the two as they danced around. Running, the stooges were finally able to get away from the bugs by jumping into the pool. After pulling themselves out, the two were instantly caught by the class rep and several teachers. Dragging them away, they were berating the boys for improper conduct and disruption of the school system.

Silently laughing, Keevan pulled out his cell and made a call, "Hey, Iak"

"Yes"

"Two and three gone, second and third safe, resume lunch"

"Roger"

Hanging up, Iak followed the oblivious teens into their private lunching spot.

* * *

Katsuragi Residence

Rikku was thinking up of something to cook. Misato had gone out to work, leaving her and Pen-Pen alone. The little penguin had warmed up quickly to the bird-girl and was making polite conversation. If one were to listen in on the kitchen, they would only hear chirps, warks, and whistles.

Placing a plate of cooked fish on the floor for Pen-Pen, Rikku was about to dig into her own meal when she heard the door open. Her senses on the alert, she slowly pulled out one of the kitchen knives. Entering through the door came about fifteen Section 2 agents, all at the ready for anything. Sadly, they were not ready for a half bird, half human being wielding a knife. Soon enough, the girl was pinned to the ground, but not before she killedfour men and severely injuredsixmore. Sedating the struggling woman, the agents then made their escape, leaving a ruined apartment, four dead men to be picked up later, and a penguin hiding under the bed in Shinji's room.

* * *

Secret Room in Nerv HQ

Slowly, the blonde girl was recovering from the sedatives in her blood stream. Looking around, she found herself strapped to a metal table. Her wings were stretched out and also strapped to extensions on the table. The only light was a spot light that was focused on her.

Presently, she heard voices coming from the gloom, "Amazing, the bones are so light, hollow just like a birds!"

"Oh yes, I can't wait to dissect it"

Eyes widening, Rikku began to struggle against her restraints. Looking around frantically, she saw the moral enemy of all life, Commander Gendo Ikari, approaching. Putting together as nasty a face as she could, the winged girl glared at Gendo.

Unaffected, the bastard king waltzed up next to the table. For a few moments, neither of them said anything

Then, out of the gloom, Gendo said, "You are associated with the travelers"

He said this as a statement, so Rikku took it as a question.

"Rikku Naori:First Class, B Rank Avatar"

Not acknowledging this, he continued, "You have information that I believe will be useful to me"

The girl only sneered at him. Reaching down, Gendo plucked one of her feathers, causing her to flinch.

"I will have the knowledge I seek, and you will tell me"

Rikku spat on his suit and said something in chirps and whistles that could only be described as offensive.

Making a gesture at someone she could not see, Gendo had a metal box,3 feet by 2 feet by 6 feet large, brought into the light.

"I think a few hours in the 'box' will loosen her lips, sir" said the agent who rolled the heavy box in

At this Rikku paled, being a creature meant for wide, free, and, most importantly, open spaces, she was terribly claustrophobic. Noting her pale face, the bastard gave an evil smile and rolled the feather between his thumb and finger.

"I think a few days is more appropriate"

A dozen agents came in and released the struggling girl and pushed her into the box. Closed in, Rikku began to hyperventilate in the dark space.

"_You will tell me what I need, or you will stay inside the box"_, this came from a speaker that was directly over her

Banging on the walls, she yelled back, "Never you bastard!"

After that she was left in total darkness. Banging on the thick metal walls, she began to panic. Noting that there was a small container built into the wall, she reached into it to find some dozen glow sticks. Hoping that light would make things more comfortable, she cracked one and shook it. Leaning against the wall, she began to think her options. Since waiting seemed the only option, she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep in the pale green light of the glow stick.

* * *

School

Shinji and Asuka had finished their lunch and were now sitting under a tree, not looking at each other and sensing the other's emotions.

Above them, Iak was watching, and actually feeling bored.

_This must be what the twins must feel when they watch them _he thought

Sighing gently, he pulled out a flute and began to play it gently. The music that came out sounded like the wind, and yet had the musical quality of a regular instrument. Even though he was against pushing two people together, he still felt duty bound to help bring the two together.

Below, the two teens heard something akin to music in the wind. Feeling calm and happiness, Asuka turned to see Shinji with closed eyes listening to the music. The happiness that was on his face was infectious, and caused her to smile along with him. Looking up, Shinji saw that Asuka was smiling along with him. The happiness they shared brought them together, and they were beginning to enjoy each others company. Slowly, like the erosion of boulders, the two leaned toward each other. Just as their lips were to meet, a voice in Asuka's head spoke up

**_What are you DOING? This is the baka-pervert you're about to kiss!_**

Pulling back quickly, Asuka shook her head. Sensing disappointment and sadness, as well as a great deal of embarrassment, she turned to see Shinji looking away. Feeling bad, the red-head reached out and patted the boy's hand.

Surprised, the boy looked up to see Asuka's blue eyes staring back at him. Feeling the regret and embarrassment as well, Shinji smiled and squeezed her hand.

Above, Iak was shocked by the turn of events. Pulling out his cell, he made an urgent call off reality

After two ring tones the call was answered by a woman's voice, "Hello, Triad Andromeda, Council Three, how may I help you?"

"Andromeda, Iak. I found the recent escapee, shadow spirit Agric"

Surprise could be heard in the woman's voice, "Really, we've been looking for that one for eons. Where did you find Agric?"

"She's currently taken root in the mind of Asuka Langley Sohryu, and is influencing her actions"

The person on the other end seemed to be talking with someone else. This was made apparent when a new voice sounded on the phone.

The new voice was mechanical and flat, but it spoke with purpose, "This is Triad Nathaniel, Council Three, I have gotten the reports on this entity. Sending now"

Above Iak appeared a small, whirling green vortex. Through it came a tube three inches in diameter and a foot long. Deftly catching it, Iak secured it inside a pouch on his belt.

"We are going to need an exorcist" he said

"Keevan is a qualified exorcist, trained by the Second Council"

Not missing a beat, Iak continued, "Containment unit for holding Agric after exorcism"

"Waiting at your base"

Nodding at the efficiency of the mechanically driven Triad, Iak said, "We'll have the criminal back in a few days"

A new voice appeared in the receiver, "This is Triad Krad, I wish you luck in your mission"

"Thank you" and the black winged being hung up

He then dialed the number of the youngest team member. Looking around, he saw that lunch had ended, and everyone was back in school. Even though it was urgent, he didn't want to interrupt the class and ruin the infiltrators' cover. Iak flew back to the tree outside the class window as he sent a text to Keevan's computer.

* * *

Katsuragi Residence

Misato had finally gotten back from work, and was sore all over. Opening the door, the woman was expecting a beer and a foreign meal prepared by her new roommate Rikku. What she got was a trashed apartment, blood all over the walls and the remains of the furniture. Pulling out her gun, Misato cautiously stepped into the apartment. Sweeping left to right, she saw a great deal of destruction. Hearing a noise from Shinji's room, she aimed her gun and kicked down the door. Something then leaped out, almost causing her to shoot. What stopped her was the fact that the thing was Pen-Pen. Trembling, the penguin held tightly to Misato's leg.

Seeing the bird made her realize that there was someone missing. Frantically looking around, she was unable to locate the bird girl who lived in the apartment with them. Fearing the worst, she frantically searched the apartment for the card Iak gave him.

Finding it lodged under the upturned sofa, she pulled it out and proceeded to dial the number into her cell.

* * *

School

Iak was feeling the effects of the teacher's dull and lifeless lecture and was beginning to fall asleep when his phone rang. Unfortunately, it caught the attention of a certain blue-haired girl.

Rei was already looking out the window and had caught glimpses of some large bird when a ring tone was heard. Focusing on the source of the sound, she saw that there was a winged man hiding in the trees while talking on his cell. Presently, she saw his face grow worried, then hard. He then hung up and took off, quite noisily in fact. The ones closest to the windows looked up just in time to be able to see a large black object take flight.

Rei began thinking, since her encounter with the travelers she has been thinking of possibilities. A man with wings is not so surprising if one thinks at acertain level. She then turned and looked at Shinji and Asuka. During the week, Rei had noticed that the two acted strangely around other people, and that they have been spending a great deal of time together. Making up her mind to learn more, Rei decided to keep an eye on the pair, seeing as theymay havesome sort of connection with the foreigners.

* * *

Later that day

Shinji and Asuka were walking home from school. This time, neither of them looked at each other, embarrassed by the events from lunch. Shinji was confused, but wanted to give Asuka her space. He himself needed some time to put his emotions to order. He knew that in the week they had spent linked together had brought them closer, and that his feelings for her were becoming stronger.

Asuka was in turmoil. She didn't know what to think, about Shinji, about herself, and about her feelings.

**_Forget the boy; he's just going to leave you like everyone else_**

The voice in her head was becoming very annoying, always breaking apart any thoughts she had concerning Shinji and her feelings.

_Stay out of this. You don't decide what I think_

**_But you already understand, he doesn't care about you, no one does._**

_If he doesn't, why does he help me?_

**_He does now, but sooner or later he's going to turn his attention to others_**

_With the two of us stuck like this, how could he?_

**_Do you know what he and Rei were like before you came?_**

At this Asuka frowned, _Why should I care what he and Wondergirl did together?_

**_Because he doesn't really care for you, he's inlove with her_**

_S-s-so?_

**_Heh, I can sense that you like that boy, maybe even love him_**

_N-no, I don't! I hate that baka!_

**_That's right, you love him, but that love won't be returned because Shinji loves Rei_**

_Shinji loves…_

**_Forget him, you need only take care of yourself, be independent, that is where strength is. In being able to keep your emotions within, and people away, you can become strong, strong enough to beat him_**

While Asuka was having this argument in her mind, Shinji was looking on with worry and concern. Through their mental link, he sensed the turmoil in the red-head's mind. Reaching out, he gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

His hand was shrugged off as Asuka turned to glare at the boy, "Don't touch me you pervert"

Confused, Shinji was about to say something when the German girl overrode him, "Forget what happened this afternoon, and if you ever mention it, I will kill you"

Shock predominating his mind and face, Asuka grabbed his collar and began to roughly drag him to their apartment.

While this was happening, Keevan was following them. He had his crystal ball out and had heard the entire mental conversation. How Iak was able to tell that Agric was in Asuka's mind without something akin to his crystal, he will never know.

"This is going to be one hell of an exorcism" he said with a sigh

The child turned to find Rei standing directly behind him. Keevan went into total mental shutdown. He was a new Avatar and didn't have much worldly experience, so he had no idea what to do.

"There is a spirit living within Pilot Sohryu's mind, correct?"

Keevan could only nod dumbly. Seeming satisfied, the blue-haired girl began to walk away.

Recovering, the child called out, "Hey, Ayanami-san!"

She turned back, "Yes, Markan-san?"

"U-um, c-could you n-n-not tell anyone a-about me or Asuka?"

The girl turned and gave an enigmatic answer, "I won't unless I am ordered to"

Rei then walked away, leaving a very confused boy. Pulling out his cell, Keevan made a call back to base.

* * *

Katsuragi Residence

Shinji and Asuka were standing at the doorway to what was left of the living room. They could only look on in shock as Iak was interrogating Pen-Pen. Leaving them, the two went over to Misato, who was drinking her third beer.

"I'm glad to see you two are all right" she said belatedly

"Misato-san, what happened?" Shinji asked

The woman sighed, "I'm not really sure, but I think someone came and kidnapped Rikku"

"Not just somebody, Section two agents"

This last statement was made by a stone faced Iak. He had finished his interrogation of the penguin and walked over to their group.

Nodding around him, Iak said, "I'm sorry about the mess"

Asuka sneered, "Only something more for the spineless wimp to do"

Misato looked at the girl in surprise, the day before, she and Shinji were getting along well. Now, Asuka was acting just as she did before the bonding.

The black winged man turned to Asuka, "All of you are moving to our base until we can get matters arranged"

The others were looking in surprise as Iak pulled out his cell.

"I need immediate pickup, big group, thendrop-off, Nerv base, gear readied for rescue, over"

"Roger, big five in ten, over"

Iak then hung up as a whirling blue vortex opened behind him. He turned to the group with an expectant look on his face.

"Pack up and move out, I don't have time for this"

The others moved and packed the necessities. For Shinji, this consisted of a few changes of clothing, toiletries, and his SDAT. Asuka packed two suit cases, one full of clothes the other full of personal items. Their guardian had one suitcase full of clothes and other stuff and a large box full of beer.

With a 'ladies first' posture, Iak let Misato in first. Asuka was about to follow when the Aerolan stopped her.

Meeting her annoyed face, Iak said, "The two of you must go through at the same time"

While Asuka was arguing with the bird man, Pen-Pen, with his luggage of fish, jumped through the vortex.

Shinji sat on his suit case and looked on as Iak and Asuka continued to argue. It was apparent that the vortex immediately dropped you elsewhere, much further than five feet. Since the spell didn't allow them to be more than five feet away, it was logical that they had to step through together. Resigning himself to waiting a long time, he pulled out his SDAT and listened to its soothing music.

* * *

Ninetri9: Heh, even though it's short,I think I'll leave that as a cliffhanger

Iak: That and you ran out of ideas

Kaitos: Ouch, burn

Shinji: Hey, I just saw the twins and the girls doing something downstairs

Keevan: What?

Kaji: I think they're cooking something

Ninetri9: sniffHey, do you guys smell something burning

Iak: Now that you mention it...

Asuka: Crap, hey, where's the fire extinguisher?

Shinji: What did you do?

Asuka: Nothing, now just get that extinguisher!

Shinji: O-ok

Touji: Here

Everyone: gaspTOUJI!

Kensuke: Hey, I'm here too

Shinji: What happened, how did you guys come back?

Asuka: Yeah, we made sure there wasn't enough to fit a matchbox

Kaitos: Actually…

Ninetri9: Let me guess, you were watching Star Wars?

Kaitos: Heh, that and I kept revisiting the Rei Room, the one full of Rei clones

Misato: Run away!

Hikari: EEK!

Iak: Rikku, what were they running from?

Rikku: Do you remember the clone wars?

Iak: Yes…

Rikku: Well…

Touji: Hey y'all

Touji2: Cool

Kensuke: Wow, I have my very own clone!

Kensuke2: Amazing, we are so much alike!

Ninetri9: KAITOS!

Kaitos: Ahhh, wait, what are you doing with that-no, wait!

Me chasing Kaitos while wielding a big knife

Rei: I believe we should go after them

Iak: Yeah, but someone's got to close this chapter

Shinji: Asuka, why don't you?

Asuka: Why?

Kaji: Please

Asuka: Tee hee, sure Kaji-kun. Thank you for reading, as soon as Ninetri9 finishes killing Kaitos…

Ninetri9: Get back here!

Kaitos: Help!

Asuka: He'll get back with a new chapter. So until then, R&R.

Shinji: How do you do that?

Kaji: Want me to teach you?

Touji Army: Oh, teach us!

Kensuke Army: Us too!

Rikku: This may take awhile

Kaitos: AHHH!

Ninetri9: After I kill you, I'm killing all these clones!

Touji Army: Not if we kill you first!

Ninetri9: Gah! Run away!

Kaitos: How does it feel to be the one chased, huh?

Ninetri9: Less talking, more running!

Kensuke Prime: Hey, why don't we kill everyone else? Then we can control this fiction, and become the rulers!

Kensuke Army: Woohoo!

Shinji and Asuka: Crap, run!

Kaji: Right behind you!

Hunter: Come on, move it!

grabs Shuri-Shara and Rei

Pen-Pen: Wark!(Wait up!)


	12. Tense Situations

Chapter 12: Tense Situations

* * *

Everyone is hiding behind an anonymous building somewhere in some anonymous city in Japan

Shinji: Hey, how'd we get back to Japan?

Ninetri9: Err, a vortex?

Iak: I didn't open one

Cairn: Neither did I

Ninetri9: Ok, it was one of those super sonic jets

Misato: I think he's getting lamer

Asuka: Me too

Ninetri9: Overlooking the insults, I believe the armada has arrived

Shuri-Shara: Where?

Iak: points up

Everyone looks up to see an army of Kensuke wearing combat uniforms parachuting towards their position

Hunter: We need a secure location for our base, move it people!

Asuka: Why is he taking the lead?

Ninetri9: Besides being a Lieutenant Colonel and having years of experience on the frontlines in his home dimension, as well as being trained by interdimensional entities far beyond your comprehension?

Shinji: I think you should give up Asuka

Asuka: Grr

Pen-Pen: Wark (Over here)

Rikku: Nice, a weapons base

Cairn: Lets load up people

The sounds of people arming themselves to the teeth

Touji Lieutenant: There they are! Charge!

Touji Army: YEAH!

Shuri-Shara: Okay people, remember the Alamo!

Everyone looks at him

Shuri: I thought it would be nice for a battle cry

Shara: How about, for the complete safety of fanfiction writing everywhere!

Iak: Whatever, just attack!

Everyone: YAH! Charge! Wark!

Sounds of intense battle and cries of pain

Hikari: Since no one else is doing it, I might as well. Ahem, Ninetri9 does not own NGE, Gainax does. He does own any and all original characters, and if there is any resemblance to characters of other stories or to real live people, it is merely coincidental. Thank you

Blood curdling screams from the masses

* * *

Secret facility below Nerv

Rikku was waking up, and found herself still in the box. Again fighting her panic instinct, she looked down to see that the first glow stick was beginning to fade out.

"Okay, the chemicals in a glow stick allow for about six hours of light" she said in an effort to calm herself

Reaching around her, she attempted to see what else could be in the box. Feeling nothing other than the container that was attached near her right elbow, she began to panic again.

_Pull yourself together Rikku! This is exactly what they want_

Mentally slapping herself, the blonde girl leaned her head forward. Looking up, she noticed a small ventilator. Air was being pumped through via fan. Knowing she was at the mercy of whoever was controlling the systems, Rikku felt tears flowing down her face. Angrily rubbing her eyes, the bird-girl began to check herself for anything the agents may not have taken. Finding that they had taken everything but the clothes off her back, she leaned back and banged the wall in frustration.

Meanwhile, at a control panel some paces from the box, two technicians were watching as the subject searched herself and then hit the box wall. Feeling cocky, one of the techs decided to goad the freak.

"_Sorry, but you aren't going to find anything to get you out"_

They watched as the girl looked around.

"Man, she's hot. If the boss didn't want her stuck in there, I'd be over her like bees on honey" said one in a Texan accent

"Watch yourself," the one who spoke to the girl hissed, "the boss could be listening on us"

Nodding, the two continued their surveillance of the prisoner

Rikku knew now that they were watching her. Still, the idiots have no idea of what a First class, B rank Avatar could do. Inconspicuously reaching into her wings, she felt around until she found a small metal disk. Keeping it hidden in her feathers, Rikku activated it by rubbing it between her fingers. She had activated a tracker, so as to allow her team to find where she was. It didn't matter if the place was shielded, it will continue to transmit.

Now all she had to do was ignore the rumbling in her stomach and wait for the team.

* * *

Secret Avatar base

Asuka finally relented and jumped into the portal with Shinji. Upon reaching their destination, the teens looked around to see a scruffy, yet homey room. Misato was looking out one of the windows at Tokyo-3. Looking around, Asuka saw a huge collection of computers and other technical gear. Along one wall was a massive shelf filled with ancient books and scroll, with one section cut off by a glowing field.

"Hey, don't go near that shelf!"

Shinji, who had wandered over to look at the books behind the field turned in surprise. Keevan had come out of what appeared to be the kitchen wearing an apron.

"M-Markan-san, you're an Avatar!" he said in surprise

Smiling shyly, the child pushed his glasses back up his nose and said, "Yeah, just passed traveler school"

He then held up a square badge that had the infinity symbol over an omega symbol

"I'm a Third class,C rank Avatar" Keevan said proudly

Shinji was impressed, Asuka wasn't.

"Heh, big deal," she said contemptuously, "You must be really new if you're a Third rank"

The boy pouted, and was about to retort when he was interrupted.

"Is my gear ready?" Iak said impatiently

"Hang on"

This came from another section of the building. Climbing down the stairs was Sai, carrying a large black bundle in his arms.

Looking at the new arrivals, he greeted them, "Shinji, Asuka, what's up?"

Noting their gaping faces and the fact that Keevan had out his badge, he gave the bundle to Iak, who left into another room.

Sai pulled out his own badge, "Sai Batu, Second class, B rank Avatar"

Asuka recovered first and smiled mockingly at him, "If they let people like you in, then your organization must be pathetic"

Keevan frowned, and said, "It's not pathetic, it's one of the most powerful group in the infinite dimensions"

Asuka only laughed in his face, which made the boy angrier. He then pulled out his wand and said, "_Silentium!_"

Instantly, Asuka stopped laughing. She tried to talk, only to find that she had lost her voice. Shinji felt the fear and panic flowing from her and spoke up to the mage.

"Excuse me, but can you give her voice back?"

Keevan looked at the girl who was pleading with her eyes. Sai nudged the boy and whispered something into his ear.

The boy relented and pointed the wand back at the red-head, "_Explico!_"

The girl got her voice back and released a sigh of relief. Misato was looking at the boys strangely and decided to ask a question

"You two are Shinji's and Asuka's new classmates?"

Receiving nods she continued, "So tell me, what are those two are like since they have been bonded?"

Both teens blushed as they shouted, "Misato!"

"Hey, keep it down out there!"

Sai turned to the person who stuck his head out of a nearby door, "Sorry dude, but we got new guests and we're just getting acquainted"

Misato remembered the face from the night the last Angel attacked, "Shuri-Shara, I remember you"

The face smiled, "Glad you do, but I'm only Shuri, half of the original ninja"

Seeing the incredulous looks, Shuri said something to someone in the same room. Above him popped a girl's face that looked half-asleep.

"This is my other half and sister, Shara"

Looking at the two, Misato saw the resemblance the two had to each other.

Meanwhile, Asuka had gone over to one of the terminals and was messing with it. Seeing what she was doing, Sai panicked and ran over to the computer.

"Don't mess with my computers, they're very sensitive equipment"

He then looked at the screen and narrowed his eyes. Shoving the red-head aside, Sai began to type furiously on the keyboard while keeping his gaze on the screen.

"Iak, I got a fix on Rikku's position"

Out of the room came a completely changed person. The winged man came out wearing a leather padded armor and helm. On his left arm was strapped a large bulky box that had a spike coming out of it. Across his right arm was a metal arm guard. The tips of his wings had metal blades attached to them, and he had a katana strapped on his left hip. Shinji and the others were looking in awe and fear, for Iak looked very intimidating in his armor

Holding up a PDA, Iak uploaded the information and looked at it. Turning to Misato, Iak had a serious face on

"Rikku has been captured by Section 2 agents, people who work for Nerv. Chances are that there will be casualties"

Misato returned the serious look with one of her own, "Why would Section 2 want to capture her?"

Asuka rolled her eyes, "Hello, she's part bird, and she's from a completely different dimension, why else take her?"

Misato looked sheepishly at her, while noting how temperamental the girl was. Shinji also took note of this, and through the mental link sensed annoyance and anger.

Iak stepped away and said over his shoulder, "Once I get Rikku back, we need to deal with something concerning Asuka"

Looking up in surprise, the three people turned questioning gazes at him

Iak ignored the looks and turned to the twins, "Shuri, Shara, load up, because you're coming too"

The twins groaned, but soon came out of their room wearing ninja gear; Shara was wearing an orange suit, and Shuri purple.

Rubbing their eyes, the twins pulled out one of the consoles and typed in a series of numbers. Sai apparently trusted them with his equipment, because he made no comment.

While they were working, Asuka walked right up to the stationary Iak, "What the hell do you mean that there is something wrong with me?"

Sai interrupted, "Ok, you guys are good to go, portal opening now"

A green vortex opened up again behind Iak, "Keevan will explain, right now I'm on a rescue mission"

Dragging two yawning ninjas behind him, the black winged man stepped through the portal.

Now, as expected, Asuka is not one to be left hanging. Feeling like she'd been snubbed, she turned on her next target. The unfortunate victim of the hour was the small mage boy.

"Okay, start explaining" the red-head said angrily

The boy was visibly shaking at the tone and stepped back. Asuka took another step closer and felt the limit of the tether. Turning angrily, her wrath was turned on a certain blue-eyed boy. Feeling the anger coming from the girl, Shinji braced himself for anything.

"Calm yourselves"

Everyone turned to see a person wearing the black coats that the others had worn before. Shinji felt as though this person was someone like Iak, not one to make angry. The man walked towards Asuka and leaned down, him being about six feet.

"There is a shadow spirit currently embedded in your mind, and it needs to be removed"

Asuka only looked skeptical, "Right, like I should believe someone who's with a group of pathetic people like them"

Keevan sighed as he pulled out his crystal ball, "Alright, I guess you need some proof"

Leading everyone to the table in the dining room, the boy placed the crystal ball on a stand on the table. Setting Asuka and Shinji close to the ball, Keevan waved his hand over the crystal.

"Agric, we know you're in there. You can stop hiding and come out, because sooner or later we will force you out"

Out of the crystal ball came a female voice laced with malice. Asuka's eyes widened as she heard the voice, not just from the crystal, but in her head too.

**_Took you Amateurs long enough_**

Sai responded, "You're outnumbered Agric, and you are going back to maximum as soon as weget you out"

_**Hah! You fools have no chance in hell of getting rid of me!**_

Keevan pushed his glasses up his nose as he replied, "Actually, we have a better chance than that. I am a fully trained exorcist, trained by the Second Council herself"

This last part was said with a smug look on his face, but it crumbled as they heard the malevolent laughter coming from the crystal

**_You make me laugh! Even the whole council couldn't force me out without permanently scarring the girl!_**

Asuka was beginning to freak out; this was the voice that told her to push Shinji away. The boy in question felt that Asuka was beginning to lose control, and placed his hand on hers. The red-head looked down and traced the hand back to its owner. Flushing, she felt more laughter coming from the evil spirit.

**_Why bother, it's far too late for any hope_**

"As the Avatars say, 'It's never too late for anything'" Sai said

**_I have rooted myself deep in this girl's mind. You can not do anything without harming the girl, and I will never leave!_**

Shinji felt Asuka gripping his hand tighter. Giving her a smile of reassurance, Shinji held her hand as everyone else began to talk

* * *

Nerv HQ

Crawling through the air duct, the newly fused ninja yawned loudly. Combining two tired people into one apparently made the fused person twice as tired. Containing his yawn, Shuri-Shara continued to crawl quietly through the ventilation system.

Elsewhere, wearing his cloak, Iak moved quickly, unseen to any electronic surveillance. He stopped and hid as a couple of Section 2 agents passed by. Pulling his PDA out and consulting it, Iak moved down a different corridor.

"SS, I'm heading down corridor B-4, in the direction of Rikku's transmitter"

Iak could hear the ninja yawning, "Yeah, I'm a floor below, above corridor D-8"

Shuri-Shara eventually came to a split in the system. Consulting his map, he saw that the one leading right cut off, although there appeared to be more in that general direction. Taking the right fork, the ninja stealthily crawled till he reached the end of the line. Looking down through a vent, he saw a pair of guards standing outside a door. Again consulting his map, Shuri-Shara noticed that the room they were guarding didn't seem to be on the map. He also noted the fact that the signal was coming from the room.

"Hey, Iak"

He heard sounds of breaking bones and a muffled scream

"You blew my cover" he replied neutrally

"My bad" Shuri-Shara said without remorse

He continued, "I found a room not on the map, plus it's also where the signal is coming from"

"On my way"

Iak hung up and began to head towards the room that the ninja had found. Moving from shadow to shadow, the bird man moved with a skill that would have made the twins, or Shara at least, jealous. Reaching the stairs, Iak swiftly ran down them, accidentally bumping into Maya, who was heading for the break room.

The woman was about to scream when Iak grabbed and covered her mouth. He knew that the woman would have knowledge of the base that can help, so he went into a secluded room.

Not releasing his grip, Iak whispered, "Do not scream, I am not going to kill you"

Maya was too petrified from fear to make any reply.

"I am here looking for my friend, a bird woman; blonde hair, brown wings, ring a bell?"

The woman appeared to recognize the description, so Iak slowly moved the hand covering her mouth, ready to clamp it down if she tried to call for help. Fortunately Maya seemed willing to help, and spoke softly

"She's your friend?"

Nodding, Iak released the woman, "Yes, a very dear friend, and I'm here to get her out"

Maya nervously nodded, "Then you must also be friends with the other travelers, because there is no way there can be people like you"

Iak gave a wry smile, "Yeah, but are you going to help?"

Maya looked around nervously, "I don't know, this is against the rules, and I don't want to get in trouble…"

Suddenly, the alarms went off. Jumping, Maya accidentally bumped against Iak. Blushing, she backed away apologizing.

Iak ran to the door and looked out, seeing agents running back and forth across the corridors made him jump back in. Apparently, he hadn't hid the body very well, so now everyone was on the lookout for intruders.

Pulling out his communicator, Iak called the ninja, "SS, get in, get Rikku, and get out"

"Roger"

Shuri-Shara disconnected and looked down the vent. The guards had left, so he let himself down. Finding that the door was locked by both a digital lock and old style keyhole, he split into two. Shara began hacking the digital lock, while Shuri picked the regular lock.

After breaking in, the twins found themselves face to face with the two techs keeping an eye on Rikku. For a long moment, no one moved, and then the larger of the two got up.

"I don't know how you got in, but I now how you're getting out" he said in a Texan accent while cracking his knuckles

Shara only smiled and cracked her own knuckles, "And here I thought things were going to be boring"

Shuri stepped around and headed towards the box that was behind the techs' workstation. The large man reached out to grab him when he was stopped by a flash of silver. Turning, he saw that the girl was twirling a kunai knife on her finger.

"Leave my brother alone, I'm your opponent" she said loudly

Laughing, the man ran towards the girl with a speed that belied his size. He threw a punch which Shara easily dodged. He threw another punch, only to have it blocked by the girl. Jumping onto his back, Shara chopped hard on his right shoulder, causing him to cry in pain. The girl then dropped down and kicked the man's leg from underneath him, causing him to collapse.

Shuri was not one to waste time; he had already knocked the other tech out with brutal kick in the chest. He looked nervously at the computer console. The ninja was not known for his technological capability. Opting to attempt to open the box manually, he jumped over the terminal and reached the metal box.

Inside the box, Rikku was slumped against the wall. It was surprising how tiring sleeping could be. Noting her rumbling stomach, she grimaced. Due to the fact that Aerolans needed to be light to fly, their metabolism was incredibly fast. The downside was that they needed to eat more, twice the number of required calories per meal.

Eventually, she heard a tapping on one of the walls. Realizing it was Morse code, she quickly tapped back a reply.

After receiving a reply, Shuri found an edge and stuck his knife into the crack. Pushing as hard as he could, the boy was beginning to open the box.

Meanwhile, Shara had grown bored of fighting with the bulky man. He was down on one knee with his left arm held at an awkward angle. Sighing, she jumped and slammed both feet into the man's face. Once he was down, Shara headed to where her brother was and assisted in prying the box open.

* * *

Meanwhile, Iak was running through the complex. Maya had told him where they had stashed the items that they had confiscated from Rikku. Reaching his destination, he found his path blocked by abouttwenty agents. He pulled off his cloak and threw it to the ground while pulling out his katana with his right hand and stretching out his bladed wings.

The agents pulled out guns and had them pointed at the winged man.

"Put the sword down and surrender peacefully" one of the agents said

Iak didn't say anything and only stepped closer. One fired his gun, only to gasp in amazement as it missed. The rest began to fire, only to watch in shock as he deflected the bullets with his blade or dodged them completely. A few decided to go hand to hand, thinking that in the narrow corridors, Iak's blades would be useless. Holding the contraption set on his left arm, the winged being fired a spike that had a chain attached to it through three of the guards. Reeling in the spike, he rushed forward and through the remaining guards at a speed they couldn't see. Remaining after his pass were severed body parts, and only a few survivors.

Picking up a survivor who lost one of his arms, Iak said, "Tell the rest that if they dare attempt to harm another one of my team, I will find and kill every member of Section 2"

Nodding weakly, the agent could only slump against a blood stained wall as the being stepped through the doorway.

* * *

Avatar base

Asuka was in shock; a being of unknown origins had rooted itself in her mind and has been influencing her behavior, and she had allowed it to do so.

"There is no spirit powerful enough to resist such an exorcism" Keevan was saying

**_For a spirit that just rooted itself, maybe, but I have been in her mind for ten years. No one could break me of my deep roots_**

Sai was grimacing, "This does not bode well"

The shrouded man didn't reply to this and instead spoke to the boy, "Is this true?"

Sighing, the mage said, "Unfortunately, the longer a spirit is in a person, the harder it becomes to force it out. I just wonder what could have possibly made Asuka so vulnerable that Agric could jump in. From our mental records she is not one prone to outside influence like this"

Shinji looked at Asuka as he said this. He sensed that she knew what could have happened, but she didn't want to talk about it. Squeezing the hand he held, he sent waves of calm to the distraught girl. The girl looked at Shinji with an incredulous look on her face

_He's kind to me, even though I've been such a bitch to him. I thought that he would hate me for that_

"Its okay, Asuka. I don't hate you; I know that you are kind and considerate under that tough exterior"

Asuka looked up in amazement. How had he known what she was thinking?

Hearing snorts of laughter, the red head turned to see Misato snickering

"That is sooo sweet! I wish I had a camera for this!"

Realizing her close proximity to Shinji, as well as her holding his hand, Asuka began to blush.

Looking around, their classmates had looked away, Keevan was blushing and pretending to not have heard, and Sai was smirking as he tried to control his laughter.

Apparently, everyone heard Asuka's thoughts when she thought them from the crystal ball. Turning, she was ready to hit Shinji for embarrassing her when she saw his seriousness. He meant it, every word. She was in shock, unable to think, unable to react.

The evil spirit interrupted her, **_Well, this is interesting. You really like the boy don't you girl?_**

"Stay out of my mind!"

_**But you let me in your mind ten years ago, remember?**_

She did remember, but didn't want to. The memories were far too painful.

**_That's right, wallow in despair, it is so delicious_**

At this, Keevan pulled the crystal away, breaking contact with the spirit to everyone but Asuka.

"I'm getting my exorcism gear set up, I don't care how tough it is, but I will get her out" he said while heading to his room to collect his materials

Shinji continued to hold Asuka's hand and comfort her by sending her waves of calm. Asuka wouldn't look at him, embarrassed by the fact that Shinji would continue to help her even though she had been so mean to him. She promised to herself that she would find some way to make it up to him.

* * *

Inside Nerv

Chaos reigned as the ninjas carried the weak Rikku through the corridors. They took care to avoid fights, especially burdened as they were.

Shuri contacted Iak, "We got Rikku, and are now heading to your location; do you read, over?"

They heard screams of pain and pleas of mercy across the link, "I read you. I am now retrieving her gear, meet at corridor C-2, prep for immediate jump, over"

"Roger, over"

The group then began to run down corridors, dodging patrols to avoid fights. Through all this, Shara was feeling antsy. The fight with the Texanman had spiked her adrenaline, and she wanted to fight

The next corner they took allowed her to get what she wanted

"Hey, stop right there!"

The kunoichi smiled dangerously as she turned, "Who's going to make us?"

"Sister, we don't have time for this" Shuri said nervously

Ignoring him, Shara pulled out a kunai and threw a smoke bomb at the agent. The man raised his hands as he coughed in the smoke, blinded and unable to find the intruders. The next thing he knew, a silver flash came and cut off a few of his fingers. Holding his bleeding hand, the man gasped in pain. A foot came out of nowhere and slammed in his groin. Falling to his knees, the man attempted to hold on to consciousness when a fist came and sent him to lala land.

Coming out of the smoke was a satisfied Shara. Dusting off her hands, she looked at them expectantly

"Well, what are you waiting for; we haven't a lot of time"

Rikku and Shuri exchanged glances before following the girl.

* * *

Iak had retrieved all of Rikku's gear and was ready to head to the rendezvous spot. Turning to leave the room, he came face to face with more agents. Stowing the gear in a bag, he slung it over his shoulder. Pulling out his blades, he went to work. Running down corridors, Iak kept getting delayed by agents, so he decided to opt for a stealthier mode of travel. Running from hiding spot to hiding spot, he avoided most combat situations. Running down one corridor, he ran into the one person he'd hoped he wouldn't

* * *

The ninjas and Rikku had arrived at corridor C-2, but had yet to see hide or feather of the rescue leader. The bird girl was eating some of the food that the boy half had given her and was feeling much better. Taking a look around, she kept hearing alarms and the red blaring lights, but no agents.

"Are you sure we should be standing out in the open like this?" she asked

Shrugging, Shara said, "No idea, but we probably should contact Sai and have him prep a portal"

Shuri pulled out his cell and made the call. Three ring tones later, Sai picked up

"I hope you got some good news, because we sure haven't got any"

"We got Rikku, but have yet to meet up with Iak, so go get a portal ready"

"Got it" and he hung up

The ninjas waited in tension as the claxons continued to wail.

* * *

Avatar base

Sai had gotten off the phone with one of the rescue team and was furiously working on one of the consoles. Asuka was sitting on one of the couches with Shinji. The boy looked at the girl and felt the tension in her mind

Although her face didn't show it, Asuka was fighting against the spirit that had latched itself to her. Feeling a wave of concern, she turned to see him looking at her worriedly. Giving a weary smile, she turned back away as she tried to gather her thoughts and ignore the rants of the spirit in her

Misato was unpacking her gear in one of the rooms that the Avatars were kind enough to give her. Finishing, she sat on the futon as she pulled out a beer. Cracking it open, she sighed. Things had gone well, Shinji and Asuka were becoming closer, and now something new was trying to tear them apart.

Feeling as though she was being watched, Misato turned to see the cloaked man standing in the doorway to her room. Wary, she made sure that the pistol under her coat was ready

"I understand your wariness Major, but I am not an enemy" he said in a monotone

"Then take off your hood and let me see your face"

"I am afraid I will not do so, but you will know my identity soon enough"

Misato narrowed her eyes, "I just hope that your team can help those kids"

"They will, but they are not my team"

Seeing the skeptical look on her face, the man continued, "Though I travel with them, I am not actually an Avatar"

"Really? You seem to be wearing the same clothing as them"

Holding his arms out, the man said, "It isn't a uniform, it's more of a cloaking device. They made this so that no electronic devices can detect the wearer"

Letting out a chuckle, he continued, "It's amazing what is possible in other worlds, other realities"

Before Misato could say anything, they heard Keevan calling out to everyone to come to his room

The inside the mage's room was large to say the least. Forty by fifty, it contained multiple shelves filled with scrolls and tomes. Apparently, there wasn't enough room for all his books, and so the large shelf in the main room. Along one wall was a long table covered in various bottles, vials, and other materials that could be found in a chemist's lab or archaeologist's room. Shoved into one of the corners as though an afterthought was a small bed. In the middle of the floor was a large circle with various runes and symbols on the edges in which Asuka was sitting in the middle of with Shinji sitting on the outside edge.

Going over to the boy, who was pouring over a large book that had a strange language, Misato tapped on his shoulder.

"Will this work?"

Not looking up, Keevan replied, "I'm not sure, but you never know what you can do until you actually try"

He then put the book down as he went to the table. Picking up various materials off of the table, he carried them over to the circle.

"Hey, kid, how long is this going take" Asuka said irritably

Not even blinking, the boy had Asuka hold a charm that looked like a tree. Reaching into the pile, Keevan pulled out a necklace of beads and placed it around her neck. He then began to arrange various artifacts around Asuka, making painstaking care that they were all in the proper places. The next thing he did was step out of the circle and walk around it, examining the runes. The way he was peering at the circle made it apparent how important this was.

While this was going on Asuka was becoming very antsy. She wanted the thing in her gone, and she was becoming impatient

**_Don't you get your hopes up girl, nothing he does will help_**

_Shut up you bitch_

**_Very well, but when it fails, I will be there to console you_**

_S-shut up_

_**Aww, is the baby going to cry?**_

"Asuka?"

She turned to see Shinji standing next to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave a smile

"It'll be alright"

Asuka gave a weak smile back, thinking, _Still there for me, that baka. It's one of the things I love about him_

Realizing what she thought, she blushed. This was one of the first times that she had used the word love. Asuka began to realize that, more than ever before, that she was falling for the boy.

She turned in an attempt to steer her thoughts to see Keevan checking through four books at once while Misato and the shrouded man stood by watching.

The boy looked up and told Shinji to step out of the circle. Stepping up, he placed a cup full of water next to him while pulling out his wand.

"Um, G- sir, could you get the containment module"

The man nodded and went out the door to get the object in question while the boy rolled up his sleeves and prepared for the exorcism

* * *

Nerv HQ

Iak had run right into the one person he did not want to deal with. Standing there smoking a cigarette, cool as cucumber, amidst the claxons, was Ryoji Kaji. Neither of them made a move; Iak was standing with his hand on the hilt of his sword, Kaji leaning against the wall.

Taking the cigarette out of his mouth, Kaji said, "Hello, it's nice to meet you"

Not receiving a reply, the spy continued, "I overheard Maya talking to Rits that you were heading through here, and to clear out corridor C-2"

Still receiving nothing from the statue-like being, Kaji sighed, "Stop playing, I want out of here, and you can help"

This got a reaction, a raised eyebrow, "And why should I do so?"

Kaji smiled as he pulled an envelope out of his pocket. He passed it to the winged man who caught it without taking his eyes off of the man. Opening it with just his right hand, his hand pulled out the contents with amazing dexterity. Taking a glance to the paper, Iak's eyes widened. He was looking at a picture of Cairn who was sabotaging some part of some computer system.

"I see" he said neutrally, "I supposeyou know what the future would hold for you if I don't intervene?"

Smiling nonchalantly, Kaji replied, "I'm most likely going to die because I've been double and triple-dealing with everyone, so yeah, I do"

Pretending to examine the picture, Iak used the time to think. He knew of the man's double-dealings, and worried that this was part of the Commander's plan to get information from their organization that will help his plans. On the other hand, the man also wanted the best for the people who suffered in any way by the Eva project. On the other hand, Kaji's work could cause problems for the Avatars if his higher ups found him by following after his dealings.

While he was pondering, an agent came around the corner behind him and pulled out his gun.

"Freeze! Don't move"

Iak turned slightly to look at the man behind him and made a split decision, "I think that he's about your height, don't you?"

Kaji caught on and smiled, "He's got maybe an inch on me, but he should do fine"

Pulling his own gun out, he aimed at Iak. The bird-man raised his hands, palms clenched and pointing backwards.

Stepping forward, the agent said, "This is definitely going to give me a promotion, eh, Kaji-san?"

Iak opened his hands to drop two small balls to the ground. Upon hitting the ground, they released a large flash, blinding the agent. Kaji was also blinded slightly, so he was unable to see whathappened next.

When his eyes cleared, he saw that the agent was unconscious and several cameras were ripped from the ceiling and walls. Iak was dragging another agent around the corner, and dumped him next to the other.

"Found him sneaking around, hoping to make a kill if the other failed"

Tossing a large ball towards one corridor end, Iak turned and shouted, "Fire in the hole!"

Kaji caught the hint and dropped, just in time to avoid the debris from the ensuing explosion. He looked up to see that the winged man was stripping one of the agents of his uniform.

"Switch uniforms, then we are out of here"

Kaji nodded and switched clothes with the agent. He turned to see Iak talking to someone. Moments later, a green vortex opened in front of him.

"Let's go, I don't trust you with good reason, but we could use your help" he said not looking at the newly disguised Kaji

The spy smiled and stepped through the vortex, stepping to an all new future, one in which he doesn't die.

Iak dropped another bomb in the corridor, destroying the evidence, and ensuring that everyone would think the man dead

* * *

Asuka: That had to be the worst ending ever

Misato: You haven't done anything concerning Asuka and Shinji at the end

Ninetri9: In case you've forgotten, we are in the middle of a clone war, plus I ran out of ideas

Shinji: Speaking of which, a Touji squadron is climbing the stairs

Cairn: Aw man, we're running low on ammo

Kaitos: What are you talking about, I can always make more

Iak: Gunpowder?

Kaitos: Oh

Rikku: Um, it appears that Kensuke has control of multiple tanks, and are approaching our position

Ninetri9: Damn, time for drastic measures

Shuri: W-w-what do y-you mean?

Ninetri9: Pulls out walkie-talkieRei, is everything ready?

Rei: Yes

Ninetri9: Proceed with plan, Operation: Fire with Fire

Shinji: What is going to happen?

Hunter: Look out there

Everyone looks out window to see an army of Reis fighting the Touji and Kensuke armies

Asuka: No fair, why is Wondergirl out there with an army?

Ninetri9: Well, considering-

Asuka: No, I am not arguing, I wouldn't win grumble

Shinji: Don't worry Asuka; I'm sure you'll get your chance

Hikari: Um, are you going to kill _all_ of the clones?

Kaji: I'd like to think that that is the general plan, why?

Hikari: blushingWell, it's just that Ninetri9 promised that…

Ninetri9: Ah crap pulls out walkie-talkieRei, make sure that at least one Touji lives

Rei: And Kensuke?

Iak: I think it might be better

Ninetri9: sighFine, one Kensuke as well

Screams of pain

Rei: Very well

Ninetri9: Well, time to wrap it up. I thank everyone for reading this, please send in reviews and I'll get back as soon as possible

Asuka: With this war, I doubt you'll be writing anything for a while


	13. Getting to Know One Another

Chapter 13: Getting to Know One Another

* * *

The city is left in ruins, multiple bodies are strewn amongst the rubble

Kaitos: WhistleDamn, never knew how destructive a clone war could be

Iak: If you knew, then none of this would have happened

Rikku: I agree. This is your fault Kaitos, you and your experiments went too far this time

Hikari: It's not all that bad. I mean, Touji and Kensuke came out alright

Touji: If by alright, you mean barely alive, then yes

Kensuke: covered in bandages Why am I the only one hurt like this?

Rei: Because you resisted the most, and resistance is always met with violence

Shuri: I agree with that statement

Ninetri9: Anyone see the newlyweds?

Misato: Are you allowed to say that?

Touji: Hell no! I had that phrase copyrighted, so now I can sue! Yeah, I'll sue for everything you've got, including this fiction!

Ninetri9: I had enough with you and your attempts to subvert my fiction. It's time I went drastic cracks knuckles

Touji: I can sue for assault as well, so don't try

Ninetri9: Rei, you may proceed with Operation: Who Gives a Damn

Rei: Very well

Group of Reis appear and drag stooges away

Kensuke: Wait, what's going on? Why am I being taken too?

Kaji: I think as a preventative protection for the rest of us

Hikari: Um, but…

Ninetri9: Don't worry, they'll still be around. Rei is just going to 'teach' them some manners

Kaji: Steering away from that thought…

Ninetri9: Let's start. I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters, and if there is any resemblance to real people or other fictional characters it is coincidental

Shinji: Hey, we're back

Asuka: Why are you guys looking at us like that?

Misato: Well, the two of you go missing, then you both reappear at the same time, what do you think?

Asuka: No way! Do not think like that!

Ninetri9: Considering I am writing an AxS fiction, they are right to think that

Shinji: blushingWe didn't do anything

Asuka: That's right, that spineless baka couldn't do anything!

Ninetri9: Unless I call on the powers of the Author's, then anyone could do anything, including what I want

Iak: Then why didn't you use that power to stop the war?

Hunter: It would have saved us time and effort

Ninetri9: Um, err, well…Struggle for words

Misato: Before his head blows up, can we start the fiction?

Kaitos: I'm with you

Everyone except me: On with the show…

* * *

Avatar base

Inside the mage's room is filled with tension as Keevan began the exorcism. Misato was sitting on the boy's bed while the cloaked man stood nearby. Asuka sat in the middle of the circle feeling tense and sharing it with Shinji, who was sitting outside the circle, also feeling tense. Keevan raised his wand in his right hand and began to chant

"_Phasmatis, caput capitis meus dico,_

_solvo thy habitum,_

_vel vos vadum cado,_

_licentia macies populus_"

The circle and the artifacts within began to glow a light blue. Asuka felt pressure build in her head as Agric began to fight the call

Again and again the mage chanted, each time with a stronger voice. The glow also grew, and soon the entire room was bathed a blue color

Shinji looked worriedly at Asuka. She looked pale and ready to upchuck the contents of her stomach. Inside, he felt fear from the red-head as pain began to grow in her head. Looking back at Keevan, Shinji saw the boy's face grow grim. Suddenly, intense pain flashed through both his head and Asuka's. They weren't even able to scream as they both passed out immediately.

The glow from the circle faded, retreating to the lines that made up the circle and changing to a violet color. Misato jumped up quickly and was about to rush into the circle when the cloaked man stopped him.

"Something is wrong, we should not interfere until we know what is happening" he said in a surprisingly calm voice

Keevan had pulled out more books and were reading them so fast that the pages were turned almost every other second. He then consulted his crystal ball and paled at what he saw.

"What's going on?" Misato demanded

The boy looked up nervously, "Both have merged their minds, they are in a sort of mental landscape with Agric. If she gets to them and destroys their minds, then Agric will have possession of both bodies"

Misato's eyes widened, but the worst was yet to come as Keevan said the words that just about doomed the pilots

"I don't know what I could do; I have no expertise in mindscapes"

He looked thoughtful then, "I don't, but Iak does!"

"I do what?"

Everyone turned to see a blood spattered Iak standing in the doorway. The boy explained the details of what happened

"I see" the bird man said, "I shall prepare for linking, but you should have a room prepared"

Looking quizzically at him, Misato saw the man she least wanted to see right now

"Hey, Katsuragi-san. I hope I haven't come at a bad time"

Kaji stood there in a Section 2 uniform smoking a cigarette. Behind them was the rest of the rescue team. Rikku looked up from her seat on the sofa and gave Misato a wave and a smile

"Hello Katsuragi-san, hey Pen-Pen"

The penguin walked up to her and the two began to converse in avian speech. Misato sighed in relief that she was alright and walked up to them, ignoring the upraised hand Kaji held

"I'm glad to see that you're alright"

Rikku looked up from her conversation, "Don't worry, I'm only a little weak from hunger. How are Shinji and Asuka?"

Misato's face became downcast as she said, "I don't know, but they are in danger"

Rikku became curious and turned to Iak who was talking with Keevan, Sai, and Kaji.

Again calling out in avian, she spoke with Iak. After a few minutes, she sat back with a thoughtful expression. Since the twins had gone off to receive some much needed sleep, Sai showed Kaji where he would be lodging.

Iak stepped up and went to Rikku. Speaking softly in avian, the two conversed. From the tone in her voice, it was apparent that she did not like what she was being told. Their argument looked ready to escalate when Iak leaned forward and gave Rikku a kiss on the lips. Separating, the blonde girl was blushing fiercely.

"Cheater" she said in a mock angry voice

Not replying, Iak pointed to the stairs leading up. Apparently they had been arguing about sending her to bed to recover. Sticking her tongue at him, Rikku relented and left. Now only Keevan, Iak, and Misato remained

"Katsuragi-san, I think that maybe you should get some rest as well" Keevan said concerned

The purple-haired buxom shook her head, "No, my kids are in trouble and I am not going to be leaving them"

Iak nodded and went into the mages room, the child and the woman following. Inside, nothing has changed; Asuka was lying on her side in the circle and Shinji laying on his back outside it. Walking over to the circle, Iak out his hand forward and had it stopped by the glow that still emanated from the circle.

"I can't get to Asuka" he said

He then walked over to where Shinji was and sat next to his prone form. Sitting cross-legged, Iak placed his palms together as though in prayer and closed his eyes

Noting the look of wondering on Misato's face, Keevan enlightened her, "He is in a meditative state and synchronizing with the mental harmonics of Shinji's mental waves, who has merged with Asuka"

Still receiving a puzzled expression, the boy tried again, "He's jumping into his head, figuratively speaking, and is attempting to make contact with them"

Shaking his head as Misato finally figured it out, Keevan began to pick up the books that were lying around. The woman turned to see that the shrouded man had left the room. Sighing, Misato prepared herself for a long wait

Mindscape

Shinji found himself in a long corridor; one that didn't seemed to have an end. Turning, he saw that the corridor also continued endlessly in the other direction. It was then that the brown-haired boy noticed a little girl running down towards him. The child had red hair and blue eyes, and upon closer inspection, red neural clips in her hair. Realizing he was looking at a younger version of Asuka, Shinji followed the girl.

Far along the corridor they went, towards a destination that Shinji couldn't tell. All along, the young girl appeared to be shouting something, but he could not hear it. Soon, they came to a door at the end of the corridor. He didn't know why, but something about the door, or rather behind it, seemed off. And another thing that was off was that he couldn't feel Asuka across their bond, and it was beginning to worry him.

All thoughts were banished from his mind as chibi-Asuka opened the door. Finding himself inside the room behind the child, Shinji's eyes widened at the sight before him. Hanging from the ceiling was a woman, and also hanging next to her was a ripped doll. It was then he heard sounds, something akin to a snake slithering through the leaves

_**Such sorrow, the woman was weak after all**_

Looking around, Shinji saw something black and shadow-like flowing from the shadows cast by the hanging woman.

"Mama, mama" the little child cried in a low voice

**_Don't cry little one, it only shows weakness,_** the shadow said in a relatively soft voice

_**If you are weak, then you will be just like mother dearest**_

"I don't want to be weak" the girl said in between sobs

**_Then let me help, I'll make you strong. I will be the one who will raise you to be the strongest ever, truly independent of all outsiders, keeping your heart safe from the pain and rejection_**

Watching, Shinji looked up to see the shadow flying from the walls to circle the kneeling girl. Jumping forward, he attempted to stop the spirit from possessing the girl. His efforts were futile as the shadow entered the girl through her eyes.

Shinji froze as the girl turned; gone was the cute face, gone the bright blue eyes. Now her face had deep shadows, giving her a menacing and malevolent look, her eyes were now an evil green with a red undertone.

Grabbing the girl by her arms, Shinji said, "Asuka, don't let her-"

_**Too late lover boy, ten years too late**_

The voice of the spirit came from chibi-Asuka's mouth, **_I've been here so long that its home to me_**

Laughing loudly, the possessed girl stepped closer to the boy, who took steps backwards. Fear on his face, Shinji turned to run, only to find his way blocked by the hanging woman. Only she wasn't hanging; with a sardonic grin, the corpse stepped towards the boy.

**_And soon, I'll have a new home. I must thank the child mage for giving me this chance for two hosts_**

Meanwhile, Asuka found herself in what looked like the control room at Nerv. All around her, people were running back and forth, working hard. Noticing that no one seemed to be even registering her, she walked up and waved her hand in front of the first person she encountered. Not even batting an eyelash, the man stepped through the girl

Asuka was only momentarily shocked and was freed from her surprise when someone with a vaguely familiar voice sounded behind her.

"Why is there a child here?"

Turning, the red-head saw Fuyutsuki standing next to Commander Gendo. The difference was that they both looked younger.

"That's Commander Ikari's son" came a new female voice

The owner of the voice was a middle aged woman with dark reddish hair and green eyes wearing a lab coat.

Looking around, Asuka spotted the topic of their conversation and was shocked. She was looking at a younger version of Shinji. She realized that she must be looking at one of the boy's memories.

Looking annoyed, the younger Fuyutsuki said, "This is not a daycare, today is a very important day!"

"I'm sorry Professor. I brought him here"

Looking up, Asuka saw a woman wearing a plugsuit sitting in what appeared to be an entry plug on a view screen. The woman had brown hair and blue eyes, like Shinji's. The boy at the window looked around and waved his hand down toward something that was beyond it. Looking as well, Asuka was surprised to see unit-01 covered in pipes and wires.

"I wanted him to see how bright our future will be" the woman in the entry plug continued.

"Contacts made" one of the technicians said

"Reaching borderline" another said

"Synchronization at 40"

It appeared to be a routine synchronization exam, albeit, possibly the first exam. Moments later, chaos and confusion erupted in the room as everyone began to run and shout

"Pulses are back flowing, something's wrong!"

Jumping up, Gendo shouted, "What's happening!"

"We can't get any readings from the entry plug!" a tech shouted back

"Eject the plug, get her out of there!"

All through the confusion, the boy looked around and asked in an innocent voice, "What's happening?"

Asuka felt like crying, she had read reports and knew that Shinji's mother had died in an accident. The details were never made public, but now she knew, Yui Ikari, mother of Shinji Ikari, died during a synchronization test.

"The signals are being rejected, we can't eject the plug!"

"Synch rates at 300 and rising!"

Everyone was frantic and panicking, and the young Shinji was beginning to pick up on the vibes

"Sensors are offline; we're losing vitals from the pilot!"

Subtly at first, but becoming more obvious was a shadow appearing near the window. Asuka looked and saw a vaguely female body form. The shadow was looking out the window, then at the boy who had frightened look on his face. The girl began to feel frightened as the shadow figure turned and faced her.

_**Nice to see you, face to face, Asuka-chan**_

The red head now knew, this thing was Agric, a shadow spirit that had inhabited her mind since childhood. She began to step backwards, and then steeled herself. Since the exorcism had obviously failed, she would take this thing on and get rid of it.

Cracking her knuckles, Asuka said, "I guess it is, because now I can kick your ass out of my head"

She threw a punch, only to have it hit air. Turning, the red head realized that everything around her had changed. Gone was the lab, gone the frantic technicians. Instead, Asuka was standing in the middle of a road, and it was raining. Looking around, she soon spotted a figure in the distance. Stepping closer, she saw that it was chibi-Shinji, only he was crying now. Looking closely, Asuka saw that there was a suitcase next to him. Wondering what was happening, she stepped closer.

**_This seems quite familiar, doesn't it?_**

Agric reappeared floating over the child. Asuka looked to where the fiend was looking and saw a man walking away.

_**Abandoned and all alone, just like you**_

Asuka frowned, she hadn't realized that the man was Shinji's father and was feeling a little lost.

**_College graduated, and yet you can barely put two and two together. The poor child, rejected by an uncaring father, sounds like someone I know._**

Asuka took a step back as she registered the new information. A father who abandoned their child, seeing their mother's deaths, the two were so much alike. The only difference was the way they lived their lives. Shinji kept people away to prevent pain to himself and others, she made herself the center of attention to gain the love of others, love that she doesn't really acknowledge.

The evil spirit laughed at the red head, **_Push and push, sooner or later the boy will leave, and then you'll be all alone, but I will be there for you, always have, and always will._**

Agric then slithered towards the frightened girl. Preparing for the worst, Asuka held herself ready to attack. The shadow leaped forward, and then, black, everything went black.

"Finally"

Asuka turned to see Shinji and Iak standing in the void. Although relieved that Shinji was alright, she restrained her desire to hug the boy. Instead she calmly walked towards them.

"Asuka, are you alright?" Shinji asked

She was about to say something about their bond telling him that when she realized that she couldn't sense the boy. Looking up, Asuka could see the concern in his eyes, but not from his mind

"I can't sense you" she said incredulously

Iak shrugged his shoulders and made an attempt to explain, "I believe that the spell may have been affected when the exorcism failed. I cannot know the full extent until we get out of here"

_**No one is leaving!**_

The black disappeared to be replaced by an empty city block. The trio looked to see that Agric had arrived.

**_You are in my realm now, and I control all_**

"I will stall her; the two of you need to run, NOW!"

With that, Iak pulled a sword from nowhere and charged the fiend. Agric also pulled out a sword and parried the strike from the winged being. Shinji grabbed Asuka's hand and proceeded to lead her away from the ensuing fight.

Real World

It had been four hours since the black Aerolan went into his trance. Misato was pacing the floor of the mages room, glancing often at the silent forms in the middle of the room. She was very tense, for she had no idea what could happen, or what will happen.

"Hey lady, keep going like that and you'll wear a hole through the floor"

Misato turned to face Kaji, who had snuck in behind her. She felt sudden anger at the calm and poised man. Did he not see the prostrate forms of Shinji and Asuka, or know of their dangers?

Resuming her pacing, Misato ignored the man. Kaji sighed and stepped into the room. Closing in with the distraught woman, Kaji grabbed her arm and made her look at him.

Misato looked ready to tear his face off before he spoke, "You worrying over those two will not bring them back any faster"

Frowning, Misato bowed her head, saying, "I know, but I worry. Their like my kids, I don't want to lose them"

Drawing her into a hug, Kaji comforted the now weeping woman. Hugging back, Misato felt comfort, and was able to relax. For a few moments, the two stayed like that. After those few moments Kaji realized that Misato had fallen asleep in his arms.

_All that worrying must have worn her out_ Kaji thought

Picking up the slumbering woman, Kaji silently stepped out of the room. Entering the main area, he looked left and right.

"Down the right hall, second door on the right"

Turning to the speaker, the rough-faced man saw Sai working on one of the terminals.

"You're not worrying about your friend?" he inquired

The boy working at the terminal replied, "'What comes, comes'. That's one of the sayings of the Avatars. We can't really control what happens, so we just let it happen and work with what we got"

Nodding, Kaji said, "Nice philosophy, I use it myself"

Chuckling, Sai replied, "Alright, get your princess to bed and get some rest yourself"

Kaji said nothing, although he did smile a little, as he went to his 'princess's' room. After putting Misato on her futon, he left to come face to face with the second Aerolan, Rikku.

"Nice, 'prince charming', you gonna kiss and wake sleeping beauty?"

Smiling back at her, Kaji replied, "I'd rather kiss her when she's awake than risk her wrath upon waking her"

Chuckling, the two headed to the main area. Finding the only other occupant busy on the computers, Kaji decided to ask a question that was bugging him.

"Hey, if I ask a question, will I get an answer?"

Rikku and Sai spoke in unison, "Maybe"

Drawing a deep breathe, Kaji asked, "Why are you actually here? I heard from the reports that you each have an individual reason for being here, but what is the big reason?"

For a few moments no one spoke. Sai continued to work as though he didn't hear, and Rikku sat on the couch and leaned into it. The tension in the air could be cut with a buttering knife.

Stopping his persistent tapping, Sai didn't look up from his screen as he asked, "Do you really want to know?"

Smiling nonchalantly, Kaji replied, "It was my job to find out things I wasn't supposed to know. I guess some habits don't die"

Rikku looked up then and stared the man right in the eye. Kaji was not one to be rattled, but the stare she was giving him was sending chills down his spine. Yet he was resolute, he will find answers, even ones he wouldn't like

Sighing, Sai finally answered the question, "Because we can"

Nerv HQ

Gendo and Fuyutsuki were going over the report of the damage from the insurgency. On the table in front of the Commander was a series of papers and pictures. One in particular drew their attention. It showed a corridor that was completely devastated by multiple explosions.

"SEELE is not going to be pleased to hear of the damages" Fuyutsuki said

Gendo clasped his hands together in his infamous pose and said nothing.

After a tense moment of silence, he asked, "Have we a casualty report?"

Picking up a paper from the folder he was holding, the sub-commander replied, "We have the preliminary reports. Death count: 25. Total injured: 49. There is one death in particular you may want to know"

Gendo said nothing, which prompted him to continue, "There are reports that Ryoji Kaji has also died in the attack"

Having no reaction, Gendo asked, "Is this confirmed?"

"Yes, sir"

"We shall leave it at that. What of the Major and the pilots?"

Checking the report, Fuyutsuki replied, "Unknown, almost as soon as the pilots returned home they disappeared"

"Very well, we shall send out a search team as soon as things have been settled here"

Fuyutsuki frowned at the total lack of concern from the Commander. The total disregard for the welfare for his own son was very unnerving. Knowing that arguing would be pointless, the sub-commander decided to follow along.

Avatar base

Standing staring at the two travelers was a very confused Kaji. He had just gotten the answer to his question, and it was very confusing. They did it because they could?

"So, let me get this straight, the only reason you actually travel the cosmos, help people on their own worlds, and do what else you do, is because you can?"

Sai nodded, "Yep, we all wanted to help. All the others all feel the same way, we help out of the compassion of our heart"

Kaji was slightly dazed; the people with some of the greatest power in the world are using them to help people. Taking a seat next to Rikku, Kaji stared out in space, working out what he just learned.

Smiling, Kaji said, "I think I understand now"

"That's good" Rikku said

"Alright, so my next question is, what are you going to do next?"

Sai answered, "We wait for Iak to finish kicking the butt of Agric, send her to maximum, and then we go on with our lives and/or jobs"

Smirking, the rough-faced man said, "Must be nice, to be able to relax so much"

"Oh there's the occasional inspection, but those aren't so bad"

Kaji chuckled, "I hear that", then his stomach rumbled

"Guess we better get some food ready" Rikku said heading for the kitchen

When they were alone, Kaji leaned towards Sai and whispered, "I know this isn't my business, but the two of you seem to get along well"

Not catching the subtle hint, Sai said, "Yeah, we've known each other for years, she's a good friend"

Smirking, Kaji replied, "Don't you think that you should push for a more intimate relationship?"

Flushing, Sai responded, "I hope you didn't say what I think you said"

Leaning in, he said in an inconspicuous whisper, "Don't say anything like that, Iak would kill me and Rikku would send me to hell"

Raising an eyebrow, Kaji asked, "Is there a difference?"

Nodding, Sai didn't say anything else and resumed work on his terminal while Kaji sat back.

Mindscape

Shinji and Asuka were running down a seemingly endless road, attempting to get away from the fiend behind them. Pulling Asuka down a side road, Shinji attempted to locate a spot they could hide. Finding a large and nondescript building, he led the red-head into it

Almost after leading her in, Asuka stopped short, causing the boy to stop as well.

"Asuka, what's wrong?"

All Shinji got in return was a pale face and wide eyes. Looking around, the boy soon realized that they were in a very familiar hallway. The same hallway that led to the room of the hanging woman.

Shaking her head, Asuka said, "No, no, I don't want to be here"

She turned and ran through a random door, leaving a concerned boy in the hallway. Rushing into the room, Asuka stopped, frozen by the image before her, the same image she had seen time and time again in her nightmares. Hanging from the ceiling was a smiling corpse. Screaming, Asuka turned to find that the door that she had gone through moments before was now gone.

**_You should have listened to me child. Being around that boy has weakened your heart's defenses_**

Asuka turned to face Agric, who now had a more defined form. Now the red head could see more details to the woman.

**_Three different minds to grow in, and grow I will. Child, it is time I got rid of a minor nuisance._**

She then gestured, and Shinji appeared, bound in chains. Head slumped, the boy was unconscious.

**_Such a darling boy, it is such a shame to have to destroy him_**, she said in a mocking tone

"Leave him alone" Asuka growled between her teeth

**_Or what? This is my world, I do whatever I please_**

Reaching around, Agric placed a hand on the bound boy's chin, **_You should have followed my advice, for now you are going to lose another_**

Eyes widening, Asuka took a step forward, "Don't-"

She wasn't fast enough, as the fiendish shadow being quickly snapped Shinji's neck. Instantly, the chains disappeared, letting the boy slump to the floor. Shocked, Asuka fell to her knees as tears began to form in her eyes

She reached out a hand towards the body, but then pulled her hand back. Asuka could not believe the sight before her. Lying on the ground, his neck at an unnatural angle, was the second person that she really cared. Allowing tears to fall, the red head could only sit there as Agric stepped closer

_**I have told you before, letting others into your heart will only lead to pain. The boy has gone, just like mummy**_

Outside, Shinji could only bang his fists against the invisible wall. He had seen and heard everything, but was unable to do anything about it. Seeing the distraught girl made him want to destroy the spirit for hurting her.

**_My dear, bury those useless emotions and let me guide you again. I'll lead you to being a very strong being, capable of handling yourself, not needing anyone._**

Shinji could see that Asuka was beginning to cave in under the great amount of emotional and mental stress. Feeling rage that was unlike him, he began to punch the barrier, heedless of the pain inflicted on himself.

Hearing dull thuds, the red head looked up. She turned to see that Agric was looking at a wall in anger

**_Damn boy, he is persistent._**

Facing the same wall, Asuka saw cracks appearing on it. It was then that she saw him. For a brief moment, the wall became transparent, only lasting a heartbeat, but she saw. Shinji was battering against the wall, a determined look on his face. More thuds were heard as the cracks on the wall began to grow and interconnect

Growling, the shadow got up and stepped towards the wall

**_That boy is annoying, it is time I really killed him_**

Pulling out her blade, she was stopped when something hit her from behind.

"Leave him alone!"

Asuka was up, and she had her game face on.

"I will not allow you to ruin my life anymore, you are not welcome" she growled

Sneering, Agric made to reply, but was interrupted when the wall blew inward, hitting her with multiple projectiles. Standing in the newly made hole was Shinji Ikari, breathing heavily from his recent exertion.

**_I had hoped to put you both down painlessly, but you have become a nuisance, and I have had enough._**

Agric then grabbed Asuka by her hair and flung her across the room.

"Asuka!" Shinji cried as he ran over to her side

Bleeding from a head wound, the red head leaned up painfully with Shinji giving her support. They both looked on as the malevolent being stepped closer, its sword held at its side.

**_Now you can both die, watching each other before succumbing to darkness._**

It then raised the sword above its head, ready to kill the pilots. Asuka watched in amazement as Shinji stepped in front of her, arms raised up.

"I will not let you harm Asuka anymore" the boy said defiantly

Sneering, Agric swung the blade towards the boy's head. Inches from contact, another sword appeared and blocked it. With great effort, the fiend attempted to push forward, but was continuously pushed backwards by the other blade

Iak had arrived in the nick of time.

"You almost had me fooled with that false clone, Agric. But now it ends."

He then forced her backwards as the duo clashed. Back and forth across the room they went, silver flashing from the swords. Frantically swinging her blade, Agric was feeling more and more frightened because she was falling further behind. No move she made got past the Aerolan's defense, and she was barely able to block his attacks.

Suddenly, Agric saw an opening and struck for it. Her blade flew through the air, not at Iak, but at the two pilots sitting by the wall. Iak saw the attack and moved to block, taking the steel in his side. Grunting from the pain, he was able to force back the shadow fiend. Falling to his knees and holding his side with his free hand, Iak braced for the next attack

**_Well, well, well, the mighty falls. As I have said, caring for and depending on others is a weakness. One can only be powerful by depending solely on oneself._**

Picking up her blood-stained sword, she sneered at the trio.

**_It's time to end this battle once and for all. Then I can begin the conquest of this universe. And with your body, Iak, I can take possession of other realities as well._**

With that she swung her blade vertically, intent on taking all three of them at once. Once again, the shadow's blade was stopped, this time by a sword held by Shinji. To everyone's, including Shinji, he held the blade at bay with relative ease.

Putting a determined look on his face, Shinji pushed Agric's sword back as he stepped forward.

"I won't let you hurt my friends" he said with steel in his voice

He then charged Agric, who held her sword ready as she said, **_Bring it child!

* * *

_**

Ninetri9: Okay, chapter done. Time to relax

Asuka: Hey, weren't you a basket case earlier?

Ninetri9: I got better

Hunter: You were lying on the ground babbling. Also, many of the chairs here have become shorter due to you biting on them

Kaitos: Not only that, but you also banged your head repeatedly against a brick wall

Iak: So how could you 'get better'?

Ninetri9: I got medication

Kaitos: May I see?

Shinji: If he's better, then he's better. I think that we should leave it at that

Misato: But it still doesn't help that he was hurting himself

Kaji: Hey, guys, I think I found the cloning machine that Kaitos used

Kaitos: Please tell me you didn't destroy it!

Shuri-Shara: Actually…

Ninetri9 2: Hey all!

Ninetri9 1: Ah crap, you guys found my secret

Hunter: Quick, before another war starts, destroy the machine!

Quick run to secret lab

Multiple crashing and explosions

Asuka: Phew, glad that's over with

Shinji: We still have two authors, which one do we keep?

Kaitos: Actually…

Original me on ground stilltwitching

Hunter: I think we should put him out of his misery

Iak: As well as clone two

Spurts of blood from mercy killings

Ninetri9: Right, so now here we are

Shinji: Yep

Misato: So, should we end this

Iak: Very well. Thank you for reading, please R&R, and we'll get back as soon as possible

Ninetri9: I wonder, since you killed them, does that mean that I died?

Kaitos: Lets not delve too deeply, shall we?


	14. End of the Nightmare

Chapter 14: End of the Nightmare

-----------------------------------

Ninetri9: Okay, I just want to clear things up, since I am the only me left, that means that I haven't died even though the original and the other clone died, right?

Asuka: For the last time, yes that's right!

Kaitos: I'm beginning to wonder if something went wrong in the cloning procedure

Hunter: Let's hope that he doesn't start another war

Shinji: Hey, popcorn's ready!

Misato: Are we watching a movie?

Iak: Apparently so

Hikari: What are we watching?

Ninetri9: Oh, it's some action comedy movie about pirates

Kaji: That sounds familiar

Ninetri9: Oh, one other thing, I disclaim the movie

Asuka: Another thing you borrowed?

Ninetri9: Look at the brain on you

Shuri: Oh, the movie's about to start!

Keevan: Wait, we still haven't started the fiction

Misato: Don't worry; Pen-Pen's got it

Pen-Pen: Wark wark, Wark (the author doesn't own NGE, Gainax does). Wark, wark wark wark (He does own all original characters, and if there is any resemblance to real people or to characters of other stories, it is merely coincidental)

Rikku: Amen, now shut up, the movie is starting!

Kaitos: Pass the popcorn

Iak: Hey, turn the lights off

Ninetri9: sighCan we just enjoy the movie?

-----------------------------------

Mindscape

Shinji Ikari was standing in front of the wounded Iak and Asuka. Before him was the malevolent spirit, Agric. Both are holding swords before themselves, preparing for the battle for control of the mindscape. Asuka and Iak stayed to the side, away from the action

The red-head looked on in amazement at the boy before her. Gone was the spineless boy that she knew. Now there was a brave young man, standing up to the evil that had plagued her. Knowing how much Shinji cared, Asuka did not even question the motives for the boy.

Iak held his side, attempting to stop his blood from flowing. He actually had a smile on his face as he watched Agric and Shinji face one another. On the one hand, he was frightened that Shinji would be killed, but on the other hand, he was surprised that he had learned to manipulate things in the mindscape. It had taken him a month to learn, which actually took years to learn.

Intent on giving the boy as much help as possible, Iak called out, "She favors her left side and aims for the side"

Shinji just dodged a swing and attempted to attack. Parrying, Agric smiled as she easily dodged the swings from the boy. He was both nervous and afraid, this being the first time that he ever actually fought someone like this.

Swinging from her left, Agric smiled as Shinji just barely blocked the attack. Following it up with a downward cleave, she laughed as the boy rolled awkwardly across the floor.

**_You surprised me with being able to manipulate in this realm, but it is really no help to you._**

She then surprised Shinji by kicking him in the chest. Staggering backwards, the boy swung his sword frantically to block the attacks from Agric. He was breathing heavily as he warily watched the shadow circling him. Shinji knew that he would not be able to hold out for much longer, but he had to try. Feinting an attack on the left, he stepped in close and slashed upwards. Again Agric parried his attack, and again she kicked him.

Breathless, Shinji staggered backwards until he hit the wall. Leaning against it, he held his sword in front of him.

**_Tired already? _**Agric asked mockingly, **_I think that you want to end this, right?_**

Shinji didn't answer, sliding across the wall to get away from her. Hitting the corner of the room, he braced himself against it, sword held up before him. Agric lunged forward at the apparently trapped boy. The fiend was surprised by Shinji ducking under her swing and slashing her side only slightly. Screaming more in rage than from pain, Agric furiously swung her blade, cutting Shinji across the cheek.

Rolling past her, the brown headed boy stood, wavering slightly. The fatigue from the battle made it hard to hold up the sword in his hand.

Iak and Asuka were watching grimly as Shinji and Agric continued to fight. The fearful look on the German girl's face was a match to the grim look on Iak's face. Standing up painfully, the bird-man lifted his sword up

"Asuka, stay here" he said not looking at her.

The red-head was about to ask what he was going to do when he jumped into the fray. Tackling Agric, Iak was able to give Shinji a breather.

**_Well bird-boy, you have officially become more than just an annoyance. _**Agric hissed

She then lunged forward, her sword a flash of silver. Iak parried while grabbing her wrist.

Turning to the boy, Iak shouted, "Now Shinji!"

At first he was confused, and then his eyebrows rose as he got the idea. Picking up his sword, Shinji lunged forward, catching Agric in the side. He pushed the blade all the way through, but stopped when he heard an ear piercing shriek. Turning swiftly towards the source, his eyes widened as he saw Asuka on her knees, holding her side, which had begun to spill blood.

**_Well, isn't this an interesting predicament. It appears my bond to the girl has become so strong that whatever I feel, she feels._**

She then kicked both of them in the chest, sending both staggering away. Sneering, Agric casually pulled the sword out of her side, taking care to cause pain to both her and Asuka. Though she winced in pain, she smiled as Asuka whimpered and clutched her side harder.

Shinji could only watch in horror as more blood spilled from her side. Rushing over, he helped Asuka up. Pulling up her shirt slightly, he was mortified to see that there was a deep cut in her side that blood was spilling out of. Tearing strips from his shirt, Shinji used them to make bandages to wrap around her side to staunch the bleeding

Iak stood by and processed this new revelation. With the bond becoming this powerful, a new strategy would be needed. As well as the need to go to the one place mind walkers, like himself, were forbidden to go in another's mind. But desperate times call for desperate measures.

He closed his eyes in concentration, and focused on the task at hand. Agric noticed and made to attack when a thick fog spread all over. Waving a hand and dispelling the fog, she was angry to see that the trio had disappeared.

**_No matter, they can run, but sooner or later I will find them._**

She then disappeared, and soon afterwards the room disappeared.

-----------------------------------

Real World

Kaji was trying out one of various Aerolan dishes, and was enjoying them.

"Hey missy, keep it coming" he called out with his mouth partially full

Rikku was watching with an amused smile on her face. Placing more food in front of him, she noticed Keevan running to and from his room.

"Hey kid, what's going on?" she called out

He yelled back, "Nothing!"

Hearing the tone in his voice, Rikku got up and followed him into his room. Inside, she saw that the glow from the circle was fluctuating from deep purple to a lighter purple.

"What's going on?" Rikku asked

The boy mage shuffled around nervously, not looking her in the eye. Putting her hands on her hips, Rikku assumed a pose like Asuka's.

"Keevan"

Biting his lip, the boy looked from the motionless forms in and around the circle to the stern looking woman before him.

_He's not going to say anything, guess its time to change tactics_

She then kneeled down so that she was eye to eye with the jittery boy.

With a calming voice, Rikku asked, "Come on, I'm not going to hurt you. Tell me what's going on, please?"

Seeing the calming expression on her face, Keevan took a deep breathe and said, "There may be problems with Iak, Shinji, and Asuka"

Confused, the female Aerolan asked, "What kind of problems?"

He pointed towards Iak, and Rikku followed to see that his side had a bandage wrapped around it, of which blood stained it. Gasping, she would have run over to the sitting Iak when Keevan grabbed her hand.

"It's not as bad as it looks, since he was injured in the mindscape his real world wounds are only a fraction the size. What really worries me is…" he began before looking towards the circle.

Following his gaze, Rikku gasped. Lying in a pool of her own blood was Asuka. The blood came from a wound in her side and appeared to be stopping.

"What happened?" came a voice behind them

The two turned to see a slightly drowsy Misato standing in the doorway. Panicking, Keevan looked towards Rikku for guidance. Walking up to Misato, the blonde woman took her gently by the arm and led her out of the room. Deciding to follow and see how his senior does, Keevan followed them out of his room.

"Katsuragi-san" she began, "why don't I get you something to eat. You must be very hungry after all that happened"

Picking up a beer, she handed it to her while picking up a couple of plates filled with food. Kaji was still there and was watching in amusement as Misato gave her beer cry.

"Yeah, that hit the spot!"

She then turned to see that Kaji was at the same table as she was. Frowning, she asked, "I forgot to ask last time, but why were you brought here?"

Smiling, the rough-faced man gave a brief summary of the events from the previous day. Feeling relieved, Rikku continued to cook for the other occupants of the building. Keevan was also relieved and decided to get something to eat. They were able to keep Misato from finding about the condition of her charges, and all was well. That is, until the others came into the kitchen. Sai was carrying one of his many laptops and was working on it when he sat down without looking. Fortunately, the ninja twins placed a chair for him to sit in at the right time.

Taking seats for themselves, Shuri pulled up a plate of green rice and passed it to Shara, who didn't even look up as she started to eat. Looking around, the twins held questioning looks on their faces.

"Hey, where are the lovebirds and bird-man?" Shara asked

Wincing, both Rikku and Keevan made silent gestures to silence the twins, but it was too late, they had gotten the attention of the two people they did not want directed towards the teens.

Looking up, Misato recalled the events prior to her sleep. She then got up and started out of the kitchen.

"I'm going to check up on them now"

Keevan panicked slightly, "U-um, don't y-you want to f-f-finish your breakfast first?"

Kaji got up as well, "Yeah, I think I'll go check on them as well"

Rikku looked at the boy mage with a look of resignation before going up to the pair leaving the room, "There is something you guys should know"

-----------------------------------

Mindscape

Going through various hallways, Shinji and Iak ran while carrying Asuka between them. Although the wounds on Asuka and Iak seemed to be fading, they still leaked blood and caused them pain, so their going was slow. Every once in a while, the black winged Aerolan would lead them through a doorway and into a different hallway.

When asked where they were going, Iak would reply in bird-tongue. After a long run, Shinji collapsed, causing Asuka to fall on top of him and Iak to trip. Finding herself face to face with Shinji, Asuka flushed before the pain got back to her. Pulling himself and the red-head up, Shinji looked up to see that Iak was waiting in an open doorway. Motioning them to come, he silently went inside.

Following him, the two found themselves in a large white dome. In the very center was a large reddish crystal. Actually, it seemed to be amorphous, constantly changing its surface texture, but retaining its general shape. It seemed chaotic, and yet made a perfect harmonious feel. The only thing that broke the harmony was a small web of black on one side of it.

Finding Iak standing to one side of the crystal, Shinji went up to him while half carrying Asuka.

Looking towards the crystal, Asuka asked, "What is that?"

Making a gesture, he replied, "This is what my people would call, _Asraq mon Hadat_, the Heart of the Spirit. This is what is often referred to as the soul of a person"

Shinji then asked, "Is this Asuka's?"

Nodding, Iak then pointed to the web of black on it, "Yes, and this is Agric's"

Asuka then yelled, "How the hell did that get there!"

Rubbing his chin, Iak looked at the web without answering. The red-head was about to explode on the man when Shinji placed a hand on her shoulder. Giving it a gentle squeeze, he was able to get the fiery girl to calm down, slightly.

"Don't worry Asuka, we'll get her out, I promise" the boy said in a soothing voice.

Feeling butterflies in her stomach, Asuka didn't respond. She looked back towards the crystal, where Iak was prodding the dark patch on it. Seeing it wriggle made her feel slightly queasy, as though watching some slimy worm thing crawl around.

Iak then scratched at the dark patch slightly, also accidentally scratching against the red. When he did so, Asuka giggled slightly as she felt some thing tickle her. Looking quizzically at her, Iak lightly stroked the red crystal again, and again she giggled.

Shinji looked between the two and asked, "What are you doing?"

"It appears that I have been tickling her, which I apologize for" Iak said briefly before resuming whatever he was doing

He then frowned and squinted as he looked closer at the black patch he was attempting to remove. Again he prodded first that then the red around it, causing Asuka to laugh.

"Stop that!" she shouted

He seemed to not have heard as he continued to prod both sections, causing Asuka to roll around clutching her injured side laughing.

Shinji realized that she was put under too much stress and said, "Stop it, you're going to open her wounds again"

It was then that he peeled off the black web quickly. It felt to Asuka as though someone had placed a sticky patch on her arm and ripped it immediately off. Yelping, she was about to shout at him when she saw that he had pulled off all of Agric's spirit off of her spirit.

"Sorry about that, it was the best option I had for removing it. Now that it's gone, Agric's hold should be weak enough for a regular exorcism"

With incredulous looks, both Shinji and Asuka shouted in unison, "If it was so easy, then why did the other one fail?"

Shrugging, Iak placed the black web into a materialized globe, "There are many solutions to problems, and the challenge is finding the right one. To this problem, the most obvious was exorcism, but apparently actually going to the source and removing the taint was the correct solution"

Both Shinji and Asuka were staring at the man with the same expression of disbelief on their faces.

_**Smart, but unfortunately it will be of little use to you**_

Appearing on the far end of the dome was a deep and dark hole. Stepping through it was the malevolent spirit that plagued them.

_**This game has gone on far too long. Now it is time to end this**_

She then pulled out her sword again as she stalked closer

"Actually, you're right, it is time to end this foolishness" Iak said in a level tone

Both Asuka and Shinji were shocked beyond comprehension at the casual tone Iak spoke in. Again they were shocked as he lunged forward at blinding speed, grabbing the two in the process

Struggling, Asuka demanded, "What's going on?"

Not looking down, Iak's black wings spread to full length as he kicked Agric. He then took off straight up towards the top of the dome.

"We are going to back to the real world, and hopefully Agric will follow us most of the way"

Shinji turned around to see that the shadow was indeed following them. He then began to notice that everything was becoming blurry. Looking towards the others, he was surprised to see that they too were becoming blurry as well as seeming to be further away.

"Don't worry," came the Aerolan's voice, sounding distant, "this is normal, when you wake up, you'll be in your own bodies"

Shinji decided to trust him and let himself continue upwards. There was a flash of light, and then he lost consciousness.

-----------------------------------

Real World

"WHAT IS GOING ON!"

Everyone else was wincing from the shrill shriek that came from Misato. She had been told everything and was now leaning against the glowing purple wall of light as she looked at Asuka lying in a pool of her own blood.

"D-d-don't worry M-Misato, the blood f-flow has s-s-stopped, s-so there s-should be n-no harm to her" Keevan said nervously

He was currently hiding behind Sai, who was hiding behind Rikku. Standing at the sidelines was a worried Kaji. He went up and held Misato in a light embrace

"Don't worry, the kids will be fine, they promised"

Whatever Misato was about to say was interrupted by Iak jumping back to his feet. The pair jumped in surprise, and while the others were less jumpy, they were still surprised.

"Keevan, finish the spell now!" he shouted as he grabbed the containment module.

Jumping, the boy ran towards his original spot on the circle and pulled out his wand. At the same time the purple glow vanished, to be replaced with its original glow.

Again he chanted,

"_Phasmatis, caput capitis meus dico,_

_solvo thy habitum,_

_vel vos vadum cado,_

_licentia macies populus_"

Over and over he canted, and out of Asuka's limp body was a black vapor. The more Keevan canted, the faster the vapor came out. Soon, a feminine figure formed from the vapor.

Looking around frantically, Agric began to yell, "**_No, this isn't supposed to happen!_**"

She turned to see that Iak had a three foot long glass tube that had mechanical parts on either end of it.

Opening one end of it, he said, "All good things must come to an end"

Iak then pressed a button that created an energy vortex that began to suck in the shrieking spirit. Her shrill voice was causing everyone except Keevan and Iak to wince in pain. They continued to cover their ears until Agric was completely encased in the tube, at which point all sound from her was muted.

Slumping to the ground, Iak and Keevan both sighed in relief. Misato and Kaji were still in shock as the others came forward to congratulate the two.

The two finally pulled themselves out of their stupor and rushed to the pilots' side, who were both still unconscious.

"Let them sleep" Rikku said, who was cradling a half-asleep Iak in her arms.

Misato nodded and picked up Asuka while Kaji carried Shinji. Answering their questioning looks, Shuri led them to the pilots' room.

"These kids sure look worn out" Kaji commented

Bringing a med pack, the ninja said, "A trip through the mindscape can wear anyone out. I better treat Asuka's wounds before they get infected"

Misato lifted up her shirt enough to expose the wound in her side. Looking hard at it, Shuri pulled out a jar and some bandages. Although the wound was crusted over and no blood spilled out, he was still careful in his application of the salve. Finishing with gauze and bandages, Shuri stood back up while dusting his hands.

"That should hold. Now we let them sleep and in no time they should be back to normal"

Sighing in relief, Misato said, "I'm glad that's over"

Kaji grabbed her hand and led her out of the room, "We better let them rest"

Nodding, she followed Kaji and Shuri out of the room, leaving two peacefully sleeping teens in a darkened room.

-----------------------------------

Hunter: That was quite a movie, funny and exciting

Kaitos: I liked the part where the pirates were fighting as zombies

Shara: Why do you insist on focusing on the most disgusting parts?

Ninetri9: He's overly morbid

Asuka: No, really?

Misato: Now, now, no need to get testy because someone didn't put the moves on you

Asuka: What!

Kaji: Yeah, I kind of noticed that you were looking towards Shinji a lot

Asuka: blushIt's not like that!

Hikari: Hey, I'm going to the store to pick up some stuff, you guys want anything?

Ninetri9: No beer

Misato: What!

Pen-Pen: Wark!

Hunter: That my be a good idea, the last time Misato got drunk was not a pretty sight

Rikku: Oh yeah, she gave new definition to crazy

Misato: I wasn't that drunk!

Kensuke: I beg to differholds up group of photos

Everyone looks through the pictures with varying looks of disgust, shock, and embarrassment

Misato: How the hell did you get these pictures?

Shuri: How can you bend like that?

Kaitos: Yikes!

Shinji: Faints

Asuka: Mein gott, you are so disgusting Misato

Kaji: Oh boy, I can't believe you took a picture of that

Iak: I'm leaving

Touji: Hey, check this picture out! Money shot!

Ninetri9: In order to maintain my rating, I will end this now. Thanks for reading. Please give your input, but be nice. I'll get back to you as soon as possible.


	15. Out of Body Experience

Chapter 15: Out of Body Experience

-----------------------------------

Kaji: Okay, now that we got rid all evidence of 'it', we can resume our trip to the store

Hikari: Yep, any one else coming?

Beat up Kensuke and Touji: Yeah, sure, why not?

Hunter: There are some things I need to get, so I will come as well

Rei: I have obtained a list that the Commander wishes for me to get the contents of

Iak: I'm good

Shuri-Shara: So am I

Ninetri9: Okay, see you later!

Everyone leaves

Asuka: Good grief, the things I saw

Keevan: I'm underage; I shouldn't have seen any of that

Kaitos: Eh, you'll survive

Ninetri9: Might as well start the story before anything else weird happens

Shinji: Urgh, what happened?

Asuka: You fainted

Shinji: Oh right

Ninetri9: Alright, here goes, I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters though, and if there is any resemblance to real people or other characters, it is merely coincidental

Kaitos: Hey, where's Pen and Misato?

Ninetri9: And what is that smell?

Sai: Coughing Crap, that woman's brewing something in the basement

Kaitos: What! That's where I do my experiments!

Ninetri9: I have a basement? You're doing experiments in my basement?

Asuka: Hey, the doors locked!

Shinji: Misato, open the door!

Misato: No way, if you're not going to get more beer, than I'll just make my own!

Ninetri9: Aw great, now I can get in trouble for illegally brewing beer in my basement

Shinji: That's a law?

Asuka: Either way, the author is still in a heaping helping of trouble

Sai: I got an ax, let's get in and stop her!

Kaitos: Don't break my stuff!

----------------------------------

School

Rei was walking to class, the same emotionless mask on her face as always. Upon entering, she took note that neither Asuka nor Shinji were there. She had not really believed that they would be back, especially after the events of the last twelve hours. Taking her seat by the window, she took a look around the classroom, which is when Rei noticed that Hikari was walking up to her

"Ayanami-san" Hikari began, "do you know where Ikari-san and Asuka-chan are?"

Looking at her, the blue-headed girl said in a monotone, "No, I do not"

Nodding, Hikari turned to leave when Rei grabbed her elbow. She turned back and raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

"You have a list of the students' addresses and phone numbers, correct?"

The pigtailed girl nodded, "I do, is there someone you're looking for?"

Rei nodded, "I need Keevan Markan's phone number"

Slightly confused, Hikari went to her desk and came back with a printed paper. Putting the paper before Rei, she watched as the blue-haired girl scanned the paper and then give it back.

"Thank you"

"Uh, you're welcome" Hikari said nervously

She sat back down in her seat in time to see Touji and Kensuke enter the classroom.

"Hey, rep, what's up" the jock called out

Shaking her head, she replied, "Just a bit confused is all"

Pushing his glasses up his nose, Kensuke asked, "What about?"

Hikari then looked towards Rei, who was staring out the window. She then told the two about the weird conversation she had with Rei.

Both boys were now staring at Rei as though they had never seen her before.

"Yikes," Kensuke said, "Never knew that Rei was into little boys"

He then fell forward as Hikari had smacked him across his head. Resuming her seat, she noticed that Keevan had just entered the classroom.

"Markan-san" she called out

Turning, the boy looked inquisitively at her, "Yes, class rep?"

"Are you and Rei going out?" Touji interjected

His glasses falling off his face, Keevan began stuttering as Touji held his side in mirth and his head in pain. Hikari glared at the crouching jock before returning her attention to the red faced boy.

"Ignore them. Are you friends with her?"

Fumbling for his glasses on the floor, Keevan muttered, "Sort of"

Finding his glasses, he reached out only to grasp empty air as another hand came down and picked them up. Squinting upwards, he gulped as he saw a blur of blue, then his vision cleared to see that Rei had gone and put the glasses back on his face. The others were looking on in something akin to shock.

"May I speak with you, Markan-san?" Rei asked

Gulping, Keevan readjusted his glasses before nodding in the affirmative. Helping the boy up, Rei then lead him over to a corner in order to speak privately. Standing there staring at the last spot they had seen Keevan and Rei like statues were Hikari and the two stooges. They were still like that as Sai walked into the room.

Noting the vacant stares, the computer genius decided to be a little mischievous. Sneaking around the trio, he gently, but firmly, pushed Hikari into Touji. Stumbling, she grabbed the first thing she could reach, which unfortunately was a statuesque Touji. Losing his balance, the jock let Hikari pull him down to the ground.

They fell to the ground, with Touji on top of Hikari, his arms on either side of her to support him. Both of them were momentarily frozen again as they stared one another in the eyes. They would have stayed that way, but they heard someone coughing above them. Jumping back to their feet, both of them were the same shade of deep red as they murmured apologies to one another.

Kensuke was beyond shock, in less than ten minutes he had gone through a major mental breakdown. Slumping to the ground, he lay there impassively until Sai came and tried to snatch his laptop.

"Hey, hands off the merchandise!"

He looked up to see the bright haired boy struggling to not laugh out loud.

Letting a snicker exit his mouth, Sai said, "Just checking to see whether you were still with us or to send you to a mental institute"

Meanwhile, Rei had dragged Keevan to a corner of the room and was asking him questions.

"So the other pilots are fine, as well as the Major?"

The boy nodded nervously, "Yeah, they should be fully recovered by the end of the day"

Rei only nodded in response. Looking up, she saw that Touji and Hikari were in a position she herself had once been in. She noticed, however, that Sai was hovering around them, as though making sure something went right.

Turning back, she said, "Batu-san is also one of your friends"

The rookie Avatar nodded in defeat at the astounding mental abilities of the First Child.

"Very well, after school, I wish to visit the Sohryu and Ikari and check upon their status"

Keevan frowned as he thought this over. He was about to respond when Sai interrupted him.

"Of course you can, we'd love guests!"

Eyes wide, Keevan whispered to Sai, "What are you doing? We aren't supposed to do this!"

Arching an eyebrow, the older boy replied, "Relax, Iak won't mind…much"

Keevan sighed in defeat, "Fine, but you are taking the blame"

"Deal"

With that, the bell rang for class and everyone, except Rei, scrambled for their seats. The teacher came and the day began anew as the teacher began his droning lecture about Second Impact.

----------------------------------

Avatar Base

It was late afternoon, the sun's rays casting shadows through the window of the slumbering pair. Both Shinji and Asuka were lying in their beds, recovering from their adventure on the mindscape. From one of the beds came a slight groan as a small patch of red moved from beneath the blanket. Rising from the covers was a very drowsy red-head.

At the same time there was movement from the other bed as a brown-headed boy crawled from under his sheets. Sitting straight up, he yawned as he rubbed his eyes in an effort to wake up.

_Mein gott, I feel so refreshed! I thought that I would be in more pain from my wounds_

Asuka then realized that she felt no pain at all from her side. She felt where she was cut and was surprised to find that there were no bandages or any pain. Opening her eyes, she looked down at her side to find something very wrong.

On the other bed, Shinji was wincing slightly as he held his side in pain. He was groaning as he sat up. Feeling hair fall onto his face, he looked up to see strands of red hair falling across his face. Confused, he looked up to see that he had a full head of red hair.

Slowly the duo turned towards the other side of the room and to each other. Asuka saw herself in bed with a confused look on her face and Shinji saw himself staring at him in shock.

It was such a peaceful day in the building before it was shattered. The ninjas were on patrol, so they were spared an ear battering. Sai and Keevan were still in school, so they too were saved from a great deal of pain. The rest of the occupants were not so lucky. Their eardrums were still aching from the twin screams coming from the pilots' room.

Opening the door slightly, Misato poked her head in, "What's going on?"

She saw that both Shinji and Asuka were up against the walls next to their beds, looking as though they were about to have a heart attack.

"Hey, are you two alright? You look like you've seen a ghost"

They slowly pointed at one another as their mouths began to open and close without saying anything. Confused, Misato thought that maybe they were surprised to be in the same room, but that couldn't be it.

Iak appeared behind her while rubbing his ears in an attempt to clear the ringing that persisted in his head.

"What's wrong?"

Misato opened the door completely to show the pair was still wordlessly pointing at one another. Cocking his head sideways slightly, the winged man stepped into the room and looked from one teen to the other. He then waved his hand in front of the pair, and finally received a reaction from them.

"Now, tell me, what is wrong?" Iak asked the pair

Both said in unison, "He/She is in my body!"

Confused, Misato turned to Iak for an explanation. He was looking first from one to the other.

Looking towards Asuka, he asked, "Shinji?"

Receiving a nod, Iak turned to Shinji and asked, "Asuka?"

"No shit Sherlock"

Misato was now in shock, from what she had just witnessed, it was apparent that Shinji was in Asuka's body and she was in his body. She then began to giggle, which soon turned to chuckles. Hearing the laughs, Shinji and Asuka turned to see that Misato was leaning against the doorway clutching her sides as she began to laugh long and hard.

Asuka, in Shinji's body, jumped up and shouted, "What are you laughing about!"

Their guardian slowly got back to her feet as she wiped tears of mirth from her eyes.

"Sorry, but this is hilarious!" she then turned to Iak, "Seriously, where were you when we were doing our synchronization program for those two!"

"Misato!" they said in unison

Iak rubbed the back of his head as he watched Misato teasing the kids as they tried to get her to stop. Deciding to stop them before it escalated, he stepped between Misato and the kids with raised hands.

"Stop" he said in a tone that brooked no arguments

They all stopped, so he continued, "Lets get something for you to eat, and then we can discuss what happens next"

Iak then stepped out of the room, leaving the switched teens and Misato to follow. In the main room, Rikku was rubbing her ears like Iak was earlier. Looking up, she saw the group enter.

Speaking louder than necessary, she asked, "You find out what happened?"

Nodding, the winged man stepped towards the kitchen, with Rikku joining the people behind him. She saw that Asuka seemed to be more uncomfortable than normal, and that Shinji seemed to be seething in anger. Knowing what the two were actually like, this was extremely odd.

Shinji was feeling extremely uncomfortable. Neither he nor Asuka had the chance to change, so he was still wearing Asuka's school uniform. The breeze between his legs was not something he was accustomed to. Taking a look towards his old body, he saw Asuka was staring at him with a look that warned him from any thoughts of perversion.

Seating themselves at the table, they were served traditional Asian foods. Iak sat down and watched the others seated around the table.

Seeing no one move, he said, "Eat, or we can begin our discussion"

Overcome with curiosity, Rikku asked, "What's going on?"

Misato, chuckling slightly, said. "Shinji and Asuka have switched bodies"

Eyes widening, she saw that this indeed was the truth. Asuka had been acting far too shy to be normal, and Shinji had a look of near unrestrained rage that was contrary to his normal disposition.

Finally understanding the situation, Rikku began to chuckle along with Misato as the two teens became more red-faced.

"Shut up!" both teens shouted in unison

This only caused them to laugh even harder. Iak watched passively as he heard the door leading outside open

"Tadaima" called the voices of a weary Keevan and a slightly more energetic Sai

"Who's with you?" Iak asked

Confused, Misato and the pilots turned in time to see Rei come into the kitchen right behind Keevan and Sai. The reactions were various from the people at the table. Rikku and Iak were neutral, while Shinji, Asuka, and Misato were in various modes of surprise.

"R-Rei" Shinji stuttered (When I mention Shinji, the boy in the girl's body and vice versa, just in case you didn't understand)

"Aw great, now Wondergirl is here to mock us as well" Asuka said sulking

Rei, although she didn't change expression, was confused. The boy had called her the name that Asuka always insulted her with and the girl was acting as shy as Shinji would. It didn't make any sense, so she looked to the others for an explanation.

Iak was looking towards the two she had followed, "I thought we said no 'guests'"

Keevan was sweating bullets as he nervously shuffled his feet. His friend Sai, however, stepped forward confidently.

"Relax, we got this all covered. We took a circular route before making a few jumps to throw off all pursuit by Section 2. Also, she has no idea where this place is"

Rei decided to correct his statement, "We are on the northern edge of Tokyo-3, in the original Fifth District, corporate building abandoned one year before Second Impact"

Everyone stared at her in surprise except Iak, who looked back to a slack jawed Sai. Weakly smiling, the computer expert bowed his head in shame.

Rei looked over Shinji and Asuka and took note of subtle differences from each person. The boy was tapping his toe in irritation that was unlike him, and she was unnecessarily smoothing her dress, as though to make sure it stayed in place.

Misato decided to break the tense silence by saying, "Well Rei, I hope that you won't tell anyone of this location"

Tilting her head towards Misato, the blue-haired girl replied, "I will not do so, unless ordered to"

This seemed good enough for the woman as she nodded in slight relief. She then embarked on a series of explanations to the passive girl. When she got to the part about Shinji and Asuka switching bodies, the two in question were bright red

"Misato" Asuka said through Shinji's gritted teeth, "can you please stop"

Smiling mischievously, Misato replied, "But it helps to have everyone on the same page"

Shinji placed Asuka's hands onto the table as he sighed. Noticing this, Asuka frowned.

"What's wrong, baka?"

Turning red, he muttered something softly.

About to ask him again, Rikku told Asuka, "He needs to use the bathroom"

There was silence as Shinji and Asuka turned deep red, though for different reasons.

With a face full of rage, the former red-head shouted, "You better not be thinking anything perverted!"

Chuckling, Rikku got up, "Don't worry, I'll make sure Shin-chan won't do anything"

She then led a red faced Shinji towards the bathroom. Before they got to far however, Shinji fell back and landed on his/her back.

"Ow, didn't expect that" Shinji said as he got back up.

Surprisingly though, Asuka didn't react at all. Although the five feet restraint of their spell was still in effect, the mind links did not seem to be effective.

Keevan raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Oh, I forgot about the spell. I was going to tell you guys about it but I forgot"

Rikku helped Shinji back up as she looked expectantly at Asuka. Getting up, she/he followed them to the bathroom.

When they left, Misato was cracking up again while Rei and her classmate travelers sat with her.

Iak asked Keevan, "What about the spell were you going to tell us?"

Embarrassed at his lapse, the boy mage said, "Well, after your romp through the mindscape, I decided to do some psychos scans for any mental or spiritual damages"

The black Aerolan nodded for him to continue. Taking a deep breath, Keevan did so

"Something from the spell was affected during the whole mind jump and when you touched Asuka's spirit"

Iak looked thoughtful at this, "I suspected something may have affected the spell"

Misato decided to interject her thoughts, "I'm actually wondering why they don't seem to sense one another"

Keevan reached into his bag searching for something. Not finding it, he became frantic until Rei held his crystal ball in front of his face.

"How'd you-"

"It fell out at lunch time when you were being questioned by those girls"

Flushing at the memory, Keevan took back his crystal as he thanked her. Waving his hand over it, the ball began to pulsate in shades of red and purple. To Misato to randomness if the colors made no sense, to the other Avatars it made more sense, but they still had difficulty understanding.

"When I did my check on them this morning, I noticed a sort of reverberation from the mind link, or rather, an inversion of mind waves. At first, I thought it was an aftereffect from stress by their recent adventure. It makes more sense now that I see what has happened to those two"

Iak, Sai, and even Rei were nodding in understanding of his explanation. Misato, however, was looking lost and asked for an explanation.

Seeing a chance to redeem himself, Sai decided to answer, "He noticed something weird from the two. From Asuka, he noticed Shinji's mind waves, and vice versa"

Making a grunt of understanding, Misato nodded and decided to accept the information given to her. Returning to the kitchen was a smirking Rikku and two very red-faced teens.

Catching her eye, Misato asked Rikku in a teasing voice, "So, what happened?"

Before the Aerolan could say anything, however, the teens in question said loudly in unison, "Nothing!"

Smiling broadly, Rikku opened her mouth to have it covered by both Shinji and Asuka. With a knowing glance, Misato decided to wait till later to get the story.

The teens removed their hands as Asuka demanded, "When can we get back to our bodies?"

Keevan frowned in concentration as he rolled his now clear crystal ball across the table

"I don't think I can do anything about it"

Before the teens could protest, Iak asked, "I could take them back into the mindscape and then bring them back under more controlled conditions"

Waving his hand frantically, Keevan said, "Way too risky. It was sheer luck that you ended up in your own body. The Matrices were stringent to begin with, but now it is so risky that you could easily end up in either one's body, but with more permanent results"

Asuka and Shinji paled at his revelation. Pensively, Iak got up and began to pace around the kitchen.

Looking towards Asuka, Shinji could just feel the fear emanating from her. The link they had was weaker, although their restraints seemed to be as strong as ever. Gently placing a slim hand on Asuka's, he tried hard to send her comfort. Gripping his/her hand, Asuka turned to him/her with a small smile.

(I have no idea how to use he, she, him, and her in these cases. Help me by sending suggestions)

Misato took note of the two, but made no outward appearance of noticing. Inwardly, she was smiling in happiness and pride. After all the hectic the two have been through, they were becoming closer. She didn't know if all the things that happened were coincidence or some elaborate scheme to bring the two together, but she was glad for it.

Asuka was feeling warm while holding Shinji's hand. She didn't know if it was because Agric was no longer in her head or if it was because she was in his body. Either way, she began to feel better knowing that he was there for her.

While Iak was pacing, the other Avatars were deep in thought.

Keevan looked up and tapped Rikku on the shoulder, "I may have an idea"

Even though he said this quietly, everyone heard and turned to look at him. Feeling the spotlight, Keevan swallowed nervously under the gaze of everyone else

"Um, well I was thinking…" he trailed off

Impatient Asuka asked, "What were you thinking?"

Biting his lip, the mage said, "We could always call Mimara"

Rikku and Sai cringed slightly as he said this, while Iak looked thoughtful. Nervously rolling his crystal across his hand, Keevan looked from one person to the next.

Curiosity overcoming her, Misato asked, "Who is Mimara?"

Keevan answered, "She's the Second Council and my teacher"

Iak finally spoke up, "Last I heard, she was in AR-3alpha, sector b4. I don't think any communication other than snail will be able to reach her"

Shinji asked confused, "Snail?"

With a look of someone who knows everything, Sai said, "Slow moving communication, mail. The area Mimara is in is too far from our position for regular transmissions"

Sneering, Asuka said, "What about relaying her message, sending to one world to another to reach her? Bet you didn't think of that?"

Matching her tone, he replied, "Maybe I should have said that temporal mechanics in other realities make relays impossible. Imagine sending a message thirty years into the past, then have that passed on to another world six millennia ahead of it. Bending from these transfers would never make it to her in the time that she was in"

Losing her smug look, Asuka turned and pouted, much to Misato's amusement.

"What are you smiling about?"

Chuckling softly, she replied, "I just never new how cute Shinji was when he looked like that"

Both teens blushed at her comment. For the moment, they had forgotten they were in each other's body

Placing a hand on each pilots' shoulder, Iak said, "Okay, we send Mimara a message. At best, we can expect her in a few days, at worst, a week"

"A week!" Asuka and Shinji shouted at once

"Yes, there is no way we can do this any faster, and in any case we can't force her to do this"

Rei was watching the proceedings with interest. Taking a look at her watch, she sat up, causing people to jump in surprise. Apparently they had forgotten that she was still there.

Bowing slightly, the blue-haired girl said, "I must be going now. If one of you would please transport me home"

Starting, Sai opened his laptop and rapidly typed on it. Immediately, a portal opened in the kitchen.

"That'll take you directly to your apartment"

Bowing in thanks, Rei stepped towards the portal, "I will see you later"

She then disappeared into the portal, which closed immediately after her.

Sighing, Keevan got up from the table, "Alright, I'll send the message now"

He left the table, with Sai following him up to the door. The computer kid was stopped by a hand placed firmly on his shoulder.

"Let's go, we need to reinforce the reasons why we have rules"

Iak then pushed Sai towards the stairs leading to the roof. Shaking her head in amusement, Rikku looked to the remaining people. Shinji and Asuka both had looks of slight depression and embarrassment, while Misato looked on with an amused look.

"Well, let's eat up, this stuff won't eat itself you know" the female Aerolan said

-----------------------------------

Ninetri9: cough Misato!

Shinji: Where are you Misato!

Asuka: Damn, that bitch had to set fire to the damn house

Kaitos: Oh no! All my data, it's gone!

Keevan: Wait, I think I see her up ahead!

Shinji: Misato, are you all right?

Misato: cough Yeah, I'm fine

Sai: What happened?

Misato: I was Cough trying to brew some beer, cough when something exploded cough

Keevan: Ahhh!

Ninetri9: What happened?

Keevan: Something just touched my leg

Pen-Pen: Wark!

Asuka: Pen-Pen!

Shinji: He must have bumped into you in all this smoke

Sai: cough Let's get out of here before we die of suffocation

Misato: I agree cough

Kaitos: Man, it's going to take forever to fix my stuff

Ninetri9: Forget that, no more 'experiments'

Keevan: I feel a little dizzy

Misato: It feels like I just had a dozen cans of beer

Asuka: Oh, heh, I'm so dizzy

She falls on Shinji

Shinji: blush Asuka, are you alright?

Asuka: Never better!

Kaitos: Oh dear, I think the fumes had alcohol in it

Ninetri9: Keevan just fell asleep on the couch

Asuka: Oh Shinji, you're so cute when you blush

Shinji: Asuka!

Misato: Aww, how cute!

Ninetri9: I better end this before it gets too…intimate. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Send in your opinions and I'll get back as soon as I can

Shinji: Hey, let go of my pants!

Asuka: giggle Playing hard to get?

Sai: Down girl

Misato: Oh my…


	16. A New Day

Chapter 16: A New Day

-----------------------------

Hello everyone, Ninetri9 back with another chapter. If you're wondering where my 'humor' went, it's on vacation. I couldn't think of anything for it, so it's on vacation till then. But you still get my main story, so chin up

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. All original characters are mine though, and if there is any resemblance to characters of other stories or to real people, it is coincidental

And now, on with the show!

-----------------------------

School

The next day, Shinji and Asuka were walking slowly to school. Neither one looked at the other, being too embarrassed to talk. A light breeze blew between Shinji's bare legs, causing him to jump slightly.

"I'm never going to get used to wearing this"

Asuka said, "What, I thought you'd be thrilled at being able to feel how the great Asuka Langley Sohryu is day to day"

Placing a hand to his/her belly, Shinji said, "Right now I don't feel so good"

Spotting a newspaper stand, Asuka looked at the date on one of the newspapers, "Ah, as I thought"

"What?"

"Third week, it's my period"

Looking through half-closed eyes, Shinji asked, "Could have fooled me"

Frowning, the former girl said, "What was that?"

"You heard me"

Surprise filled Asuka's face at the sudden temper from her fellow pilot. From him, this was new; apparently a boy during the monthly course is as irritable as a girl.

Silence fell between the two as they continued to school. Tension grew to the point where Asuka wanted to scream from frustration.

"Asuka"

Grunting her reply, Shinji continued, "I'm sorry"

Looking at the boy turned girl, she replied, "No, I should apologize too, I didn't mean to make you angry"

Surprised, Shinji looked back to himself and saw how he must have looked normally, morose and depressed. Grabbing his old hand, Shinji gave Asuka a small smile. Blushing, Asuka squeezed back, smiling as she did so.

When they reached the school, the two disengaged their hands.

"Remember, don't talk to anyone, or else" Asuka said threateningly

Shinji couldn't help but notice that her tone seemed more relaxed, less intense. Glad that some good came from the botched exorcism, he nodded in confirmation.

-----------------------------

Class 2-A

Hikari was sitting at her desk, slightly worried. She had attempted to call Asuka the night before, both on her cell and at home. Looking up, she jumped up, happy to see that Asuka and Shinji enter the room. Almost as soon as they came in, the other two stooges mobbed Shinji, asking questions furiously. Separating Shinji from Asuka, they dragged him a short distance away.

Getting up, Hikari couldn't help but notice that Asuka seemed to be uncomfortable.

"Asuka-chan, are you all right? I tried to call you, but I couldn't get you either on your cell or your apartment phone"

"Oh, I must have left my phone off"

The pigtailed girl noticed that, although she said this in the same sort of tone as she usually would, it seemed different.

"You seem different, but I can't figure out how?"

Surprisingly, Asuka began to nervously twiddle her fingers, not looking at Hikari

Meanwhile, at the boys table, Touji and Kensuke were futilely trying to pry information from the silent boy.

"Come on Shinji! What happened yesterday?"

Kensuke took notice that, although his head was down as per usual, Shinji didn't truly seem down. In fact, the boy seemed to be getting more and more irritated.

The bell rang and everyone returned to their seats for another long and dull lesson about Second Impact.

Outside, sitting in the tree, was the combined ninja Shuri-Shara. He had an open scroll and was currently reading from it. Next to him on another branch was a pile of more scrolls. Sighing, the ninja looked through the window to see that most of the students had fallen asleep.

"Damn, I wish something exciting would happen"

Being two people with opposite personalities, there were times when one became more powerful and overrode his normal person. Shara was currently becoming the dominant persona, as she usually does. The kunoichi was loud and impetuous, making it hard to control her, even with her merged with Shuri. That boy was cool and collected, but had a hard time of keeping up with his more energetic younger sister because he was so shy.

He turned his attention back to his scroll, never noticing the group of black suited men advancing slowly on his tree.

Quietly advancing, the men were careful to not let the inattentive ninja to regain his lost attentiveness. The men were quite lucky to catch one of the travelers with his guard down; it would mean promotions and pay raises.

Just as the first man was about arms reach of the tree, he was caught up in a concealed net that launched him at the others. Reacting to the faint cry, Shuri-Shara looked up to see Section 2 completely surrounding him. Not getting up, he pulled out a kunai and cut a near invisible wire that was close to him. The snapped wire activated a trap that caused a section of earth to launch a group of agents flying twenty feet away.

The yells from the agents had finally attracted the attention of the students as they clamored to the windows to see the action. Smirking, Shuri-Shara decided to give them a show. Putting his scrolls away, he jumped out of the tree and landed on top of one of the still standing agents

Jumping just as the agent reached up to grab him, the ninja kicked sideways, knocking the man several feet away. Rolling across the ground, Shuri-Shara threw a few smoke bombs. The remaining agents cautiously entered the fog, hands held in front of them as they stumbled about, coughing. Casually stepping out of the smoke, the ninja then plucked something else from his pocket and threw it over his shoulder and into the fog.

A muted pop was heard, followed quickly by loud cries of the agents. The smokescreen lifted, revealing goo covered agents. The green sticky substance bound them to the ground and to each other.

Hearing bursts of laughter, Shuri-Shara looked up to see that the kids were hanging on to each other as they shook with mirth. Making several bows in accompany to the applause the students were giving, the ninja then jumped away from the scene

Standing next to each other, Shinji and Asuka shared a glance. Both knew that the ninja was going to get into a whole lot of trouble when Iak got him. They had seen Sai after his 'conversation' with the strict Aerolan. He had been shaking as though he was feverish, and was careful to be extra polite to everyone.

Hikari soon pulled the class back to order and the students began to fall asleep to the dull droning of their teacher.

-----------------------------

Avatar Base

Misato and Kaji were discussing their future plans with the Avatars.

Iak was playing with a flute in his hands, rolling it gently between his fingers and Rikku was sitting next to him on the couch

"Okay, so you return to Nerv, but do not tell anyone about us" the black-winged Aerolan said

Nodding, Misato looked at her watch and got up, "I guess now is as good a time as any to head there"

Leaning into his chair, Kaji said, "I think I may take a walk"

Rikku got up and reached behind the couch, pulling out a wad of clothing, "Here, you're going to need to disguise yourself"

Nodding his thanks, Kaji got up, "I'm going to need to check with my contacts, find out some news"

Shaking her head, Misato retorted, "I can't believe you still want to play spy, especially after what they told you about what would happen"

Giving her a smile, Kaji gave her a peck on the cheek as he left to change into his disguise.

"That man" Misato said as she sighed in exasperation

Getting up, she asked, "Can you send me on my way?"

Iak got up and headed to one of the terminals. Typing furiously, a portal soon opened for Misato. She stepped through the portal just as Kaji came back, looking very different wearing a false beard and moustache.

"Alright, I'm going out the conventional way if you don't mind"

Waving his hand, the man stepped through the main entrance, and out into the world.

Rikku turned to ask Iak, "You think we should have told him we're on the fiftieth floor and that the elevator is out?"

Iak only shrugged as he looked at his watch, "It's time for my shift"

Rikku sighed as the serious man prepped for his job overlooking the teens. Entering the kitchen, she came back with a large bento box in her hands.

"Here, don't want you fainting on the job do we?" Rikku said with a wink

Smiling, Iak took the box and gave her a kiss on the lips. Iak then stepped to the balcony and launched himself into the air.

Rikku smiled as she placed her finger to her lips. She turned to find that someone was attempting to contact the base on one of the terminals. Activating the communication program, she saw a computerized chibi version of Hunter.

"Hey Loot, how are things in the US?"

"Going according to plan"

Cairn and Kaitos' computerized avatars appeared on the computer, joining Hunter's

Leaning on a toothpick-like cane, Kaitos asked, "Anything new on your end?"

Rolling her eyes, Rikku said, "I already sent you guys a report, so don't pretend you don't know"

Cairn laughed in his deep voice as he calmed the girl, "Relax, we know. I can't help laughing whenever I think of their predicament"

Shaking her head, Rikku asked, business-like, "Any signs of the Thirteenth?"

The ever serious Hunter replied, "None as of yet, but not from lack of trying"

Kaitos interjected, "Hey, could you let Iak know that I almost finished his Eva?"

Frowning, she replied, "I thought he said not to make him an Eva"

Nonplussed, the cripple replied, "But he's the most powerful fighter, we need his help out on the battle field"

The other two looked at him with dangerous looks. Kaitos ignored them, either well accustomed to the death glares, or not even noticing them.

Rikku sighed, "Fine, let us know of any new updates"

Hunter saluted then his chibi avatar marched off screen. Cairn followed with a wave, which was mimicked by Kaitos.

Closing the application, Rikku stretched her arms above her head. Looking out the window, she saw the sun shining brightly out on the landscape.

_It's been awhile since I've flown, and it's such a nice day_

Making up her mind, she changed into some flight friendly clothes and took flight, carrying a small bag on her back. She was going to find a secluded place to try something to make their time here more enjoyable.

-----------------------------

School

It was lunchtime, and Keevan was seated beneath a tree enjoying his lunch. He had just finished when a shadow overcast him. Looking up, he saw that Iak had flown in and landed next to him.

"How are things here?"

For a moment, Keevan was confused, but his face lit up in recollection.

"Other than Shuri-Shara's prank, it's been mostly quiet"

Iak nodded as he sat down, "Do you know where I can find him?"

Reaching into his bag, the boy pulled out his multipurpose crystal ball. Rubbing it slightly, it began to show a small image. On it, the ninja had split to two and were exploring the shopping center, the younger sister dragging the elder. Rubbing his temple, Iak got back up.

"I can't believe how irresponsible these people are"

Keevan knew that he included Sai along with the twins.

Sighing, Iak stretched his wings out, "I'm going to have to lecture them, _again_"

He then took off, leaving Keevan to enjoy the rest of his lunch period.

------------------------------

Secluded Location

Hikari was looking around, looking for Asuka. All morning she had been acting strange, as though trying to hide something. Not finding any clue of Asuka anywhere, the class rep went to the only place she knew that the red-head would be.

Sneaking quietly, Hikari found her hypothesis justified. Both Shinji and Asuka were having lunch far from any other person. Though she didn't really want to interrupt them, Hikari needed to know if something was wrong with her best friend.

She stopped as she heard them speaking quietly

"Hey, did you tell anyone?"

The red-head replied, "N-n-no, I s-swear I d-didn't"

Eyes widening, Hikari leaned as close as possible to hear more. Never had she ever seen Asuka looks so scared or nervous.

"Good, cause I would have to hit you otherwise"

Worry began to fill her face, as random thoughts began to swirl through her head.

Asuka flushed as she said in a slightly angry tone, "Who'd believe us anyway?"

Shinji placed his arm around Asuka's shoulder as he said, "I know, but we need to keep this a secret"

"I don't know how long I can keep this up though, sooner or later someone's going to figure out"

One thought flashed through Hikari's mind, connecting everything she knew. The increased intimacy between the teens, need for privacy, and yesterday's disappearance combined with Asuka's changed behavior.

Deciding to get to the truth, the brunette stepped into view, startling Shinji and Asuka

"Oh no"

Hands on her hips and a stern look on her face, Hikari demanded, "What's going on between you two?"

Asuka got up and made soothing gesture with her hands, "Horaki-san, it isn't what you think"

An eyebrow rose in disbelief, she asked, "Oh really? You and Shinji are gone a whole day and you return completely changed, what can I assume from this?"

Both looked blankly at her, wondering what she could be thinking

"Look, nothing happened. We just didn't feel like going to school yesterday" Shinji said

Eyes narrowed, Hikari asked, "Didn't feel like it? What were you doing yesterday that you would ditch school for?"

Asuka and Shinji looked to one another before turning back and saying in unison, "None of your business!"

Tapping her foot, Hikari said, "It is my business if two of the students in my class are skipping class for 'private' reasons"

Asuka held up to hands as she said, "Please, this is personal, we don't need anyone finding out-"

She cut off as Shinji nudged her with his elbow, but it was enough for Hikari. Seeing the nervousness of the two, constant glances to one another, it gave her the answer she thought to this riddle.

"I can't believe the two of you could be so irresponsible as to do this"

Now the two teens in question were looking at each other in confusion. What was Hikari talking about?

"I think you can stop making assumptions"

All three of them turned to see that Iak was perched on a nearby tree top. Mouth agape, Hikari watched as Iak stretched his wings and flew down to them. Just as he landed, Hikari fell over in a slump as she fainted.

Shinji, in Asuka's body, said, "That went as well as expected"

Screwing Shinji's face into a thoughtful look, Asuka asked, "What do we tell her when she wakes up?"

"She's not going to let up", Iak said, "even if she doesn't remember this, she'll remember your absence and question it. If she keeps digging, she'll find out about us, so we may as well put it all up front"

Both teens were apprehensive of putting someone else into the loop, mostly because of all the weirdness they go through on an almost daily basis. On the other hand, Hikari will continue to make presumptions until she figured it out, and that would cause some problems.

"Iak, do you mind if we brought her to your base to talk?" Shinji asked

Looking back at the teens, the winged man pulled out two cell phones from his pocket, "I'm sorry, I was supposed to give this to you. These are specially built for contact with us. All our numbers are programmed into it and it has a portal function that allows you to warp directly outside the door to our base"

They each took one and examined them. The phones appeared to be normal, all the normal functions and buttons that are supposed to be there were there. The only difference was a green button at the bottom of the keypad.

Pointing to said anomaly, Iak explained, "Push the button and a portal opens at your position. In the vicinity of the base the button will be yellow. When that is pushed then, it will open a portal that will lead to outside your old apartment"

Both nodded in understanding as Iak waved farewell and took off. Shinji and Asuka looked at each other before sighing. Today was going to be a very long day.

-----------------------------

Nerv HQ

Misato was currently sitting in isolation, having denied the Commander any information of the past twenty-four hours. The dark room served to mess up with her sense of time, so she didn't know what time it was, or how long she waited here. After what seemed to be eternity, the door to the cell finally opened, allowing light to enter. Shielding her eyes from the sudden glare, Misato saw a Section 2 agent waiting in the doorway.

"Come with us"

The woman got up and followed the agent out. Misato saw that there were three more agents waiting outside. One joined the first agent while the other two followed behind her. Together, they marched down to the Commander's office. Once inside, the four agents took up post outside, leaving the Major with Gendo and Fuyutsuki.

For a few long moments, all was in silence. Misato looked at Gendo, he looked back emotionlessly.

Finally, the Commander said, "You have been absent for the past day"

Impassively, Misato replied, "Is that so?"

Picking up a paper from his desktop, Gendo said, "At 12:45 pm, one being of unknown origins was found in your apartment. Section 2 came and apprehended said being, taking casualties. Four hours later, you and the children were reported to have been in your apartment, after which, you all disappeared"

Placing the paper report back on the desk, he interlaced his fingers in front of his face.

"I want to know where you were for the past twenty-four hours and what has occurred in that time"

The purple-haired woman was silent, her face matching the blankness on the elder Ikari's face. It was a staring contest that surpassed all others, with very high stakes. The contest ended when the phone on Gendo's desk rang. Not looking up, he picked up the phone

"Yes"

"…"

"Very well"

Gendo then hung up and turned his full attention back on Misato.

"The agents have yet to find your abode, but they are following the pilots. Sooner or later I will know what I want. It would be easier on everyone if you tell me what you know"

Misato only said, "Not even in even your worst nightmare"

The Commander knew that the Major was far too valuable to get rid of, so he had no choice to let her go. That didn't mean that he wouldn't keep trying.

"You may leave, but know that you are to be under strict guard. Twenty-four hour surveillance"

Narrowing her eyes, Misato restrained the urge to spit on her commanding officer. Getting up stiffly, she bowed slightly before taking controlled steps through the door. Just outside, the four agents, as well as six more, took positions around the woman as she headed down the hall.

Inside the office, Fuyutsuki was rubbing his temples, "Ikari, they will easily stop your agents, so why did you order them to follow her?"

Hands interlaced in front of his face, Gendo made no reply. Sighing in exasperation, the Sub-commander let it lie, knowing that he'll find out later.

Outside, Misato stormed through the streets, trailing ten agents. It was also most likely that there were more agents, unseen and hidden. Unknown was that most of them were already taken out. Flitting among the shadows like small birds, Shuri and Shara took out one agent after another

Meeting on a rooftop, Shara said boisterously, "I've got eight already, what about you?"

Calmly scanning the area, the elder sibling said, "Fourteen, now help me find the rest, I'm sure there's another somewhere near here"

Mouth gaping, the kunoichi narrowed her eyes dangerously. Deciding to prove her immense abilities, Shara soon found an agent disguised as an old man and was about to point him out

"That old man and the woman with the carriage will be tough, they're in public view. There is also one amongst the bushes by that park"

Quickly looking around, Shara found that her brother was telling the truth. Frowning, the girl tapped her brother on the shoulder.

"How do you know that?"

Gulping, Shuri said, "Um, well, it's easy, I mean, they are looking towards Misato on the sly"

Nodding, Shara disappeared, leaving a momentarily confused boy. Looking over, the ninja saw that Shara had transformed into a disguised mugger and had already taken out the old man. Uniformed men were chasing her, going into an alley after her. Sighing out of exhaustion and exasperation, Shuri followed up on the distraction and took out the hiding agents. When the ninjas met up again, all that was left was the ten agents that continued to follow Misato.

"I've gotten up to twenty" Shara said proudly, "Bet you didn't get much more than that"

Sighing, Shuri replied, "This is a mission, not a contest"

Pouting slightly, the kunoichi made pleading tones, "Oh come on, I ain't going to hurt you"

"Twenty-eight"

Shuri jumped away as Shara gaped in shock. Angrily, she followed him across the rooftops.

Misato was warily watching the agents that continued to follow her. There was no way for her to escape them, and she couldn't contact the Avatars, for fear of being tapped. Looking up, she was surprised to see two police men coming up in front of them.

"Excuse me, Misato Katsuragi?"

The woman nodded in reply

The police officer on the right said, "We are going to need to take you down to the station"

Cocking an eyebrow, the purple-haired buxom replied, "For what reasons?"

The other officer said, "For ecological crimes, poisoning food given to a rare female bird"

Catching the faint wink from that officer, Misato added the clues together and smiled slightly.

"Alright officer, I'll come peacefully"

One of the agents came up, "I'm sorry, but we cannot allow you to take the Major in without proper cause"

The officer that had winked said, "Then please allows us to discuss things in private"

Leading the agent around the corner, both officers were gone for five long minutes. After the wait, the agent and one of the officers reappeared.

"We got the okay, you may go Major" the agent said tersely

The other agents were looking warily at their comrade

"So long as one of us stays with her, it will be alright, the Commander said for the rest of you to head back to base"

Upon hearing that the Commander had ordered for this put all doubts from the agents' minds and put them to ease. The agents did an about face and headed back to base as the officer led Misato away.

"Neat trick, but who are you?" Misato said with slight apprehension

Two puffs of smoke, and Shuri revealed himself to be the officer and Shara showed that she was the agent.

Both were smiling broadly as they led Misato passed a tied up agent

"Neat trick, how do you do that?"

With a wink, Shara said, "Special ninjutsu trick, Art of Transformation"

Nodding in approval, Misato said, "Nice, I guess it's good to have ninja allies"

Shuri had pulled out a cell and had pushed a button on it. Almost immediately a portal opened in front of them.

"Go ahead", gestured Shuri, "we still have something to do"

"Thanks again for getting me out of that jam" Misato said, giving the twins a thumb up

She stepped through, and the portal closed behind her

Sighing, Shara stretched left and right as she said, "Now we need to find Kaji"

"This is going to take awhile" Shuri said, "He's pretty good at hiding"

The ninjas took off, in search of the elusive man.

-----------------------------

School

Hikari was staring at both Shinji and Asuka, causing them to feel very uncomfortable. After recovering from her fainting spell, the two promised to tell her the truth if she came home with them. Sharing the same expression, the two sat to wait the rest of the day in boredom and tension.

Finally, the bell rang to end the day. Shinji saw that Hikari was waiting right at the door for them

Sighing, Shinji said, "I don't know how she's going to take this"

Clapping a hand on her former shoulder, Asuka said, "Relax, Hikari's a good person. She'll understand"

"I certainly hope so" Shinji said grumpily

That didn't stop them from being nervous as they felt the rep's stare on them. Walking side by side with Hikari following them, the trip through the streets of Tokyo-3 made in silence. They soon made it to Misato's old apartment complex.

They stood outside as though waiting for something. The wait had finally gotten to Hikari, and she really didn't feel like waiting any longer

"Well, what are we waiting for?" she asked in her no nonsense voice

She saw that Shinji and Asuka were sharing a look. Then Asuka pulled out her cell and pushed a button on it. What happened next caused the brunette's mouth to drop and her eyes to widen. A whirling green vortex just opened up in front of her. In the midst of her shock, Hikari saw that Shinji and Asuka were waiting for her.

"W-w-what's g-going on?" she stuttered

Gently grabbing her hands, Asuka, in Shinji's body said, "Relax, trust us"

Nodding her head, Hikari followed the teens through the vortex. After they stepped through, the portal disappeared. Watching from the shadows was an agent.

Pulling out a phone, he called the Commander, "I have lost visual on the Second and Third children"

"Return to base, collect as many others as you can"

"Roger"

The agent then left, collecting all the agents that he could on his way to base. Something was about to come up, and the Commander wanted them back.

----------------------------

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it. Please send your reviews and I'll get back as soon as I can.


	17. Adjusting to Life

Chapter 17: Adjusting to Life

Hello again, Ninetri9 back with another chapter. The 'humor' is still out of town, and will be for a while, but they will return...someday.

Prereading done by YouarenotasrandomasI

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. And you must know by now about my characters

On with the show...

------------------------------

Avatar Base

The trio of teens had just arrived at their destination. They were standing outside a door in a dusty and dark hall. Hikari was looking about nervously, unsure of what was going on. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning, she saw that Shinji had placed his hand on her shoulder

"W-what's g-going on?" Hikari stuttered, "W-where are w-we?"

"Relax"

Taking a deep breathe, the frightened girl slowly calmed herself, although she was still nervous.

Asuka came up and said, "Okay, Horaki-san, you're about to find out a lot"

Shinji nodded, "So you better keep up"

Growing confused, Hikari noted that the two seemed to be acting like each other, Asuka was being docile while Shinji was being assertive.

Noting the inquisitive look on her face, Asuka said, "Before anything else, there is something you should know"

She looked to Shinji as though for permission. They nodded in unison and turned back to Hikari. The girl was feeling more lost with each passing second.

"Okay, don't freak, but me and Shinji switched bodies" the boy said

Frowning slightly, Hikari looked first from one to the other. She then shook her head

"I don't understand"

Placing a hand on the door, the boy, who was supposedly Asuka, said, "If you don't believe us, then let's talk to someone who will make you believe"

Opening the door, he pushed her in. Looking around, Hikari noted a messy, yet homey room. To her left was a hall that had doors on either side. What were confusing were the doors on the right side of the hall. They all seemed to lead to the hall, but there were no doors on the outside. There were stairs at the end of the hall, of which someone was coming down.

The person revealed to be a girl about the teens age with blonde hair and green eyes. She was wearing a blue dress with short sleeves. Over that was an unzipped green vest.

"Hey, what's up?"

Remembering her manners, Hikari bowed and said, "Hello, I hope I'm not intruding"

Hearing soft laughter, she looked up to see that the other bowed back, "No problem, by the way, my name is Rikku Naori"

Smiling, Hikari said, "Nice to meet you Naori-san, my name is Hikari Horaki"

Also smiling, Rikku replied, "Please, call me Rikku"

"Then you can call me Hikari"

The brunette turned to see that Shinji and Asuka were staring at Rikku as though they had never seen her before.

"R-Rikku, you…Where are your wings?" the girl said

Hikari looked confused, but then her eyes widened in shock as Rikku took off the vest and revealed a large set of brown wings.

"Like it? Made it from the cloths that our cloaks are made of, makes hiding these wings very easy, so now me and Iak can go out in public"

Looking in amazement, Hikari held out a hand and lightly touched one of the winged girl's wings. It felt real, and it twitched slightly in response to her touch.

Giggling at the look on the stunned girl's face, Rikku lifted a wingtip and touched Hikari's nose, "Yes, they are real"

Turning to the pilots, Hikari had a look of belief on her face, and said so, "I believe you"

"That helps"

Everyone turned to the door to see that Keevan and Sai had just came in

"Tadaima" the duo said

Noticing the astounded look on Hikari's face, Keevan led the girl to a couch in the room and helped her sit down. Sai immediately went to one of the many terminals that were in the room and began to work without looking up at the others.

"Don't mind Sai, he has an important project to do" Keevan said, "Would you like some tea?"

Nodding dumbly, Hikari looked on with dazed eyes as Shinji and Asuka sat down next to her.

"As you see, Keevan and Sai are in relation with our current dilemma" Asuka, in Shinji's body, said

When Keevan returned with the tea, Rikku joined them and they proceeded to tell Hikari everything that had happened. She listened in rapt silence as they described the events that led up to this point. After, Shinji and Asuka looked at the silent girl nervously, waiting for her opinion.

After a few moments, Hikari took a deep breathe, "Wow, that is amazing"

She then turned to the teens and said, "So that explains everything that has happened recently"

Grinning ruefully, the brunette bowed to Shinji and Asuka saying, "I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions"

Asuka replied, "Eh, no big deal"

Just then the door opened and Misato came in, "Hey everyone"

She looked up in surprise as she saw Hikari sitting in the main room with the others.

"What's going on?"

And again a whole sequence of events was retold to the woman once she joined them at the table. This time it was Hikari and Rikku who recounted, while Keevan went to the kitchen for more tea. Asuka smelled something and traced the source to her old body and the body she was currently in.

Rikku had also noticed and said, "When was the last time either one of you bathed?"

The two looked at each other before turning a very deep red. Misato was laughing at their red faces while Hikari looked on with part disapproval and part amusement.

Snickering, the pilots' guardian said, "I have got to see how they resolve this"

The window to the outside opened and everyone turned to see Iak stepping through.

Hikari was once again wide-eyed, "I saw you at school"

He bowed, saying, "My apologies, I did not mean to frighten you so"

He straightened and noticed the smell of unclean bodies. Without looking, he knew that it was Shinji and Asuka. A glance showed that they still have not figured a way out of this odd predicament. Looking to Rikku, Iak saw that she had a look that usually meant something bad for him, or people around him.

The blonde woman got up, "We are not going to allow people to get into such unseemliness. We are taking a bath now"

Shinji and Asuka were staring at her in disbelief, then confusion. She had said 'we', is she going to join them?

Iak said, "Oh no"

They turned to him, but his attention was on Rikku, "This involves me, doesn't it?"

Eyes wide, the teens saw that the female Aerolan was nodding. They both cringed at the thought of bathing, not just from sheer embarrassment of washing someone else's body, but with other people present. Holding her sides, Misato was desperately trying to hold in her laughter while Hikari looked scandalous at the thought.

She got up, saying, "How can you even think of such perversion?"

Rikku sighed, "Then how about girls bathe together and men bathe together?"

This made the girl confused, "Um, how?"

It could have meant that Shinji in Asuka's body bathing with Rikku and vice versa, or it could mean Asuka in Shinji's body bathing with Rikku and vice versa. Either way, it seemed to be not right, no matter how you look at it.

Seeing the frustrated look on Hikari's face, Rikku said, "Since no matter how you look at it, it will seem wrong, we'll all bathe together"

It was amazing how red a human face could get, both Shinji and Asuka were as red as unit-02. Rikku grabbed Asuka and proceeded to drag her, as well as Shinji because of the spell, with one hand and Iak with the other. In the main area Misato was rolling around laughing while Hikari was being reassured by Keevan that nothing perverted would happen.

-----------------------------

Bathroom

Inside, it was quite spacious, like a public bath house. There was a large bath that looked capable of fitting up to five people at a time on one side of the room. Along another wall was a shelf containing multiple cleaning utensils and supplies. The teens were astounded at the size of the room and it showed on their faces.

"Um" Shinji began, "how do you get such large rooms, especially on one building level"

Iak replied, "Spatial bending; Keevan's spells in combination with some of the tech that Sai has"

He turned and saw that Rikku was filling the tub with hot water. The steam that rose caused visibility to drop. Soon, all that could be seen was steam; no one was able to see more than a few inches ahead of them.

"I see, we don't see anything, nothing perverted happens. So the baka hentai won't be seeing anything he's not supposed to" Asuka said in relief

"Neither will you" Iak said out of nowhere

Jumping in surprise, Asuka turned to see a black wing pass by her. Flushing at his insinuation, she took off the boy's uniform Shinji worn almost all the time. At the same time, Shinji was red as he took care to touch as little skin as possible while undressing.

Soon enough, Shinji and Rikku were in the tub, mostly because the boy turned girl looked ready to faint if in the nude for a prolonged time. Shinji kept seeing the look on his old face when Asuka told him to not touch anything. That, however, doesn't help get clean, so Rikku was in the tub to do the job. Every once in a while, Shinji jumped from whenever she tickled him.

Asuka was having a much easier time, although she still was red faced from embarrassment. Iak washing no more than three feet from her didn't help either. Eventually, she got to the spot she least wanted to wash. When she reached 'it', she found it, for lack of a better word, up.

Feeling something against 'her' leg, Asuka looked down to see a bucket of water

"It helps if you don't think about it"

Asuka looked up to hear Iak dumping a similar bucket of water over his head. Following his example, she nearly swore when the cold water hit her. Shivering slightly, Asuka turned to see that the steam was beginning to dissipate. Hurrying up, Asuka quickly rinsed and wrapped a towel around the waist. She saw that Shinji had followed suit as soon as he saw the steam dissipating.

"Oh you babies," Rikku said, "here"

She handed the two each a stack of clothes to change into, "Now get along you two"

Still a furious red, Shinji asked, "What about you two?"

Rikku said, "Still need to wash the wings, and it's so hard to reach back there"

The last part was said to a blank faced Iak, who held up a towel in his hand.

"You really want to be out of here when this starts" he said in a wry tone

Leaving the 'lovebirds', Shinji and Asuka changed left the bathroom. Looking at one another, they were surprised at what they wore. Shinji was wearing a blue button blouse over a white shirt with a green skirt that reached the knees, and Asuka was wearing loose jeans with a white t-shirt with some weird logo on it.

"Well?"

Misato was sitting with Hikari and watching them, "What happened?"

Blushing a deep red, they said in unison, "Nothing!"

Hikari asked, "Where are Iak and Rikku?"

Asuka pointed a thumb towards the bathroom, "Those perverts are still in there"

Slyly smiling, Misato said, "Wished it were you and Shinji?"

Again in unison, the teens shouted, "NO!"

Deciding to stop them before things got broken, Keevan said, "How about some tea?"

------------------------------

Nerv HQ

Gendo was sitting at his desk looking at one of the few Section 2 agents that were still on their feet. With barely more than a handful, he was going to seriously need to think up of some strategies.

"Are the tracers still functioning?" he asked in a monotone

Nodding, the agent replied, "Yes, we have pinpointed their location"

Smiling slightly behind his hands, the Commander than said, "Are the new stun grenades ready as well?"

Receiving a nod, he continued, "Attack tonight, when they are off guard, and capture them"

Bowing, the agent left, pulling out a walkie-talkie to make preparations.

------------------------------

Lab

Ritsuko was working at one of the terminals when she noticed movement out of the corner of her eyes. Looking surreptitiously, the doctor noticed a few suited men running past the door. Intrigued, she slipped to the door and listened in on what they were saying

"The attack is in seven hours, we need to prepare"

"Yes sir"

The men then ran out of earshot and Ritsuko straightened. She was confused, what would Section 2 be attacking? Looking at her desk, she saw the folders of everything they had on the travelers and made an obvious conclusion. The agents were to attack them, wherever they are.

Remembering that Misato was being tailed by a few agents, Ritsuko decided to contact the woman and find out what was going on.

"Hello?"

"Misato, it's me"

"Oh Rits-chan, how are you?"

Even across the phone, the doctor could hear multiple voices in the background

"Just wondering where you are"

Irritation lacing her voice, Misato replied, "My apartment, where else?"

"Your apartment was destroyed in a fire recently; the entire building has been burnt down, so I don't think that that is where you are"

Nervousness can be heard as the other woman responded, "I'm with some friends"

"Traveling friends?"

Not receiving a reply, Ritsuko continued, "Not to worry you, but Section 2 is preparing for some attack tonight"

"Really?" there was worry and fear in Misato's voice when she said this

"Yeah, in about seven hours"

"Thanks for the update"

"Okay, here's the deal, I know you, Shinji and Asuka are staying with the travelers, and Section 2 knows about it. Now, I want to meet with those same travelers, to learn from them. Is it a deal?"

"You need not worry about us" a new voice came over the receiver.

Not recognizing it, Ritsuko said, "Really?"

"The locators have been removed, and are now far from our location. If you require meeting us, however, we can at a set location and time"

Frowning, Ritsuko didn't say anything as she thought through her options. Making up her mind, the doctor said, "Alright, when shall we meet?"

The phone hung up at that point, causing her to frown at the rudeness. Then a card landed in her lap. Looking up, Ritsuko saw the remnants of a portal disappearing. Feeling excited, she picked up the card and saw that it had a time and location written on it. Making sure to securely hide it, the doctor began to resume her work.

------------------------------

Avatar Base

"Trackers!" Misato yelled

Holding a hand out, Iak said, "I have taken the liberty of removing the bugs and moving them elsewhere"

His hair was still slightly wet, having just come out of the bathroom with Rikku when Ritsuko called. The female Aerolan was drying her hair while watching the two.

"Relax," Rikku said, "he's got it under control. Those agents will be on a wild goose chase, in Tokyo-2"

Everyone looked at them when she said that

Misato giggled a little when she said, "I would love to see the looks on their faces when they find an empty apartment"

Everyone laughed slightly at this. Hikari looked at her watch and saw how late it was

"Oh dear, it's so late, my parents must be worried" she said frantically

Iak smiled slightly as he said, "Don't worry, we got that covered"

She, Misato and the pilots were looking at him inquisitively.

------------------------------

Horaki Residence

A pigtailed brunette was currently playing with a little girl while attempting to cook dinner. The upside was that both parents went out earlier for a night out. Shara sighed in desperation as she tagged off with her brother in the bathroom.

"I told you we should have gone back after that incident" Shuri was saying as he changed to look like Hikari

"Alright already, get off my case" the irritated kunoichi said

"Hey, Hikari, dinner's burning!"

"Crap"

------------------------------

Avatar Base

"So, if you want, you may stay the night" Iak said to Hikari

Asuka made a squeal, saying, "Sleepover!"

Shinji said, "Can you not do that in my voice?"

Misato giggled, "But it sounds so cute"

"Misato!"

Rikku giggled as she got up, "Keevan, wanna help me cook up some dinner?"

The boy mage nodded and went with her to the kitchen, followed by Hikari.

"May I help?"

Nodding, Rikku motioned her to join them, "Sure, the more the merrier"

Iak just sat down and drank the tea that was still left there, and Sai continued to work, oblivious to his surroundings.

------------------------------

Horaki Residence

"Hey, Hikari, are you alright? You've been acting weird ever since you came back from school"

Shara was once again Hikari, and was washing the dishes when the older girl came into the kitchen. Dredging deep into her memories, the girl remembered that her name was Kodama.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine, nothing to worry about" Shara replied as Hikari-like as possible

Kodama frowned slightly, but was interrupted when Nozumi came into the kitchen.

"Oneesan, come play with me!" she said to Kodama

Dragging her from the kitchen, the littlest girl gave a conspirator's wink to Shara. Smiling slightly, she gave thanks for her brother for the timely assist

------------------------------

Avatar Base

Everyone, with the exception of the ninja's and the cloaked man, were seated around a newly enlarged table, eating dinner. On the table was a variety of Japanese, Aerolan, and, surprisingly enough, European dishes

"I learned to cook from my mother in my reality's England" Keevan explained to a delighted Asuka

Shinji looked at the food that was piled up on her plate and heaved a sigh. Asuka was unconsciously going to abuse the body she was in by eating so much. He had heard numerous times that Asuka missed the proper European meals, and while he was glad that she was happy, he had misgivings about the way she was going through dinner.

Kaji had finally arrived back just as dinner was being served, breathing heavily in exertion.

"Hey," he said in between breaths, "why is it that I always seem to be so out of the loop?"

Rikku replied, "You left before we could tell you anything, and we were busy"

The rough-faced man got his good humor back quickly after that, and was now sitting at the table next to Misato.

"The two of you look nice" he said to Asuka and Shinji grinning, "'Shinji', you should dress like that more often, and 'Asuka', that color really brings the color of your eyes out"

The emphasis on their names made both pilots turn red as the majority of the table laughed.

As dinner ended, everyone began to leave the table to do various activities. Sai continued to work on whatever he was doing on one of the terminals, Keevan was washing dishes with the help of Hikari, Rikku sat with Misato and was conversing with her, Iak disappeared, and Shinji and Asuka had gone off to their room.

Inside, Shinji and Asuka took the time to properly unpack the stuff they brought with them. The problem was that they were going to be going through each other's stuff for a few days, and so it led to a few arguments

"I hope you're not thinking what I know you're thinking" Asuka said, hands on her borrowed body's hips

Sighing, Shinji replied, "I'm not, so stop bugging me about it"

The point they were at was undergarments, and Asuka was pointing out where she was putting them. The former red-head was more than sure that Shinji would do something perverted with them given the chance. Shinji was attempting to tell her that he would never do something like that. They continued to argue as they completed the sorting of clothes.

Outside, Misato and Rikku were going into the topic of relationships.

"So you and Kaji are back together, or is it still on shaky ground?" the blonde Aerolan asked

Shrugging slightly, the purple-haired woman replied, "Still a bit shaky, but I don't think I'll ever be with that idiot"

Smiling in a sly way, Rikku leaned in, "Then you were crying on his shoulder that day, because?"

Flushing, Misato replied, "What about you, Iak doesn't seem to be the affectionate type"

"He can be a little cold, but I think he's loosening up"

Misato than asked, "How'd the two of you get together anyway?"

Rikku then put a thoughtful expression on her face, "We kind of bumped into each other"

The truth of it was that she literally fell on top of Iak during one of his brooding sessions.

"From what Shinji told me, your kind doesn't take kindly to his coloration, so how did you two get together?"

Flushing slightly, Rikku looked around for any eavesdroppers. She then leaned in and whispered to Misato

"It wasn't love at first sight, you must understand, we were like cat and dog"

Misato nodded, understanding the feeling

"Well, he and I were always fighting really. Every day it was pretty much the same, we fought. Then one day, it just clicked, and the two of us were together" Rikku said with finality

The purple-haired woman knew that the girl was not telling something, but decided not to pry. She could always try and get some information from Iak. And as though by magic, that very person came into the main room

"Hey, we were just talking about you" Misato called out while Rikku flushed

Turning his head, Iak tilted his head inquisitively, "Yes?"

Rikku got up, "Um, well it's late, so I think I'll be going to bed"

She then all but ran down the hall. Iak sat in her vacated seat and poured some tea that was set on the table. For the moment, both persons were quiet, while Sai continued to work behind them

"So, I heard that the two of you have had a rough beginning, care to talk about it?" the woman said

Not looking up, Iak only replied, "It is as she said"

Looking through slanted eyes, Misato asked, "Really?"

Not rising to the bait, Iak only finished his tea. He then got up and walked down to the hall. Turning, Misato noticed that Rikku appeared to be waiting for him. The two shared a small kiss before the two continued down the hall

Sighing, Misato began to wish for a relationship like theirs. Then she felt arms wrap around her shoulder. Looking up, she saw that Kaji had a smile on his face. Returning the smile, Misato placed a hand on one of his. It seemed she did still have feelings for the rough-faced man.

In their room, Shinji and Asuka had finally finished with unpacking. They were now about to get ready for bed. Now came a new problem, changing into their sleepwear. Asuka didn't have much problem, so long as she didn't look down, but Shinji was beet red as he tried to figure a way to change without making Asuka mad at him.

Finishing changing into Shinji's standard sleepwear, Asuka turned to see that Shinji still had not changed out of the clothes. Knowing that he wouldn't be able to do anything, she got up and walked over to the former boy.

"Here, let me help"

She then realized that Shinji was not wearing a bra, "Pervert, there had better be a reason for this"

Blushing fiercely, Shinji stuttered as he tried to answer. Hands on her borrowed hips, Asuka waited for his hentai reply. What he said made her jaw drop

"I don't know how to put one on"

He was blushing really hard at that point, and had Asuka's eyes pointed down in shame and embarrassment. Asuka was looking at him in amazement. She had expected something hentai-like, not some honest to god truth. Composing herself, she sighed

"Alright, but you had better watch closely, because I'm not going to show you twice"

And so, the former female began to teach Shinji how to out on a bra. Soon enough, they were both ready for bed, and Hikari joined them. By that time, Shinji was now wearing an extra long shirt and a pair of short pajama pants, reaching the knees. Hikari was borrowing one of Rikku's, and it was apparent because of a pair of slits in the back.

"Nice, maybe I should get a dress in that style" Asuka said admiringly

Hikari blushed slightly, "I don't know, maybe if there weren't these slits it would be nice"

The two then went into a discussion about clothes, of which the boy in a girl's body didn't understand the majority of

------------------------------

Horaki Residence

Groaning, Shuri collapsed on the bed as he changed back into his regular form. Lying next to him, Shara had also collapsed onto the bed.

"Might as well get some sleep" the elder said

Nodding in reply, Shara closed her eyes and soon fell into a deep sleep. Before closing his eyes, Shuri made sure to set the clock to wake them with enough time for the two to prepare. Groaning again, he promised himself to always stick with the responsibility given to them, or else they might end up in another situation like this.

------------------------------

Nerv HQ

Gendo was angry, but let none betray his face. He had just gotten the report from the agents who went out to capture the travelers and possibly find the missing Major and the pilots. They had arrived at the location, only to find an abandoned building, dust filled rooms, and a locator silently transmitting from a tabletop on top of a note.

On the note, nothing was written. All that there was on it was an image of a pair of wings shaded in black. It indicated that the person was indeed with the travelers, as well as showed that they were very prepared.

"Have the agents return to their posts; then start recruiting more" the Commander said neutrally

Fuyutsuki had been around Gendo long enough to know when he was annoyed. He hid the small smile that was in his face as he said he would. Whatever plan he made was falling flat on its face, and the sub-Commander was quite glad. Now Gendo won't have otherworld help in his twisted schemes.

Hidden in the shadows, unbeknownst to the pair inside, a figure in black disappeared into the darkness. The hooded figure continued on, using his own personal transport, to a location outside of the Geofront.

And he stood there, waiting for dawn, lost in thought.

------------------------------

And so ends another chapter. I sincerely hope that you all enjoyed this. Please R&R, and I'll get back as soon as I can with another installment


	18. A Normal DaySort of

Chapter 18:A Normal Day...Sort of

Hey, sorry for the long wait! Had a lot of school work and was a bit too busy to work on this fiction. But here's the next chapter in the story, so enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does, and you know about my characters

On with the show...

* * *

School 

Shinji and Asuka were in their private spot, having lunch. They were able to relax a little now that Hikari was in on the secret. The plus side to having the class rep helping them makes hiding their 'condition' much easier. The two were going over another session for pretending to be one another.

"Come on, meaner, like this" Asuka was demonstrating to Shinji on how to make her signature scowl

"Right"

The former boy tried, and ended up in making Asuka's face look like she was constipated.

Growling, Asuka said, "Don't you dare make that face in public"

"Gomen" Shinji said cringing

Asuka sighed in frustration; Shinji just wasn't the type to be mean to anyone. Even if there were something to get angry about, he wouldn't really do anything.

Hearing some leaves rustle, they looked up to see Hikari heading towards them. Heaving a sigh of relief, they let her join them.

Seating herself next to them, she asked, "Still not yourselves?"

Seeing them shake their heads, the brunette said, "I couldn't help but overhear you guys. You should know that people are getting kind of suspicious of you two"

Slanting Shinji's eyes, Asuka asked, "What are they saying?"

Shifting slightly in nervousness, Hikari replied, "They're saying that you and Shinji are dating"

Asuka toned down slightly, "I can handle with that after we get ourselves fixed"

Looking very uneasy, Hikari then said, "Well, there are also rumors going around that started when the two of you went missing for the day"

Raising an eyebrow, Asuka nodded for her to continue

Drawing a deep breathe, she finished quickly, "They are saying that the two of you did 'it'"

The two teens were flushing in slight shock before they shouted, "WE DIDN'T!"

Hikari raised her hands in front of her, "I know, but that's what they are saying"

Asuka got up and began pacing around; making it appear like Shinji was pacing like a caged lion

"Those Hentai bakas, what could have possibly made them think that I and baka-Shinji would be like this? Just wait until I get my hands on whoever started that rumor, I'll murder him"

Shinji got up and said, "Calm down Asuka, why should you be bothered by this, you know it's not true"

"I know that, but if this continues my rep'll going down the toilet" Asuka said biting Shinji's fingernails

Placing a hand on his old one, Shinji stopped her and said, "Relax, it's not the end of the world, and you can always fix your rep after we get fixed"

Taking a deep breathe, Asuka slowly calmed down. She looked away from him with a slightly flushed face and said, "I guess your right"

Hikari was smiling happily at the scene before her. Although the roles have been swapped, it was still very touching. The brunette was happy that Asuka was calming down and opening up a bit to Shinji. She was also happy because it seemed that the two were closer together.

Getting up, Hikari said, "Lunch is almost over, we should get back to class"

Blushing as they remembered that she was there too, Shinji and Asuka gathered up their stuff as they followed her back to school

* * *

School 

Keevan had found that being a kid in a teen's school was not all fun. It could be that this world's education system was worth shit, but there was also the fact that everyone was interested in him. The girls always came over, asking how he was, or if he needed help. Most likely a mother instinct to help the young, but it got embarrassing sometimes. Then there were the guys, always asking him about the girls who keep surrounding him.

Sighing, Keevan reached down for his bag and knocked it over. He looked down and saw his crystal rolling across the floor. Fortunately no one was in the room yet, so he got on his knees and started to look for it. Then he bumped into a leg and had the misfortune to look up. He was now staring up a girl's dress.

Falling backwards, the red-faced mage made ready with an explanation when he saw that it was Rei. It didn't make him feel better about what he did, so he got to his feet

"Gomenasai," he said, "I didn't mean to look"

He was bright red and stood there, head bowed, waiting for the blue-haired girls response. What happened next surprised him

"Here"

And a slim pale hand appeared in his view holding his crystal. Looking up, Keevan took back his crystal and looked up to see her emotionless face. Slightly confused, the boy walked back to his desk where he found Kensuke with his camera

The older boy had a strange look on his face as he looked at the mage.

"So, enjoy the view?"

Flushing a deep red, Keevan said, "Wait, no it's not like that!"

Ignoring the protests, Kensuke slid his glasses up hi face, "Then I suppose it was all accidental"

Nodding furiously, Keevan said, "Please don't tell anyone about this"

Smiling, the four-eyed stooge said, "Sure thing"

Sighing in relief as Kensuke walked away, Keevan sat down heavily in his seat. He was really not yet suited for field work. Sai came by his desk, looking around before saying anything

"So, what happened?"

Flushing, the mage muttered something that he could not hear. Leaning closer, he gestured for Keevan to say it again. Coming closer for the third time, Sai finally heard what happened and let an amused grin appear on his face.

"Nice"

Flushing again, Keevan replied, "Don't say anything, it's so embarrassing"

Waving his hand dismissively, the computer genius said, "Eh, no worries, besides we're coworkers. We look out for one another"

Keevan had a relieved smile on his face, "Thanks"

He looked up to see that Sai had already taken his seat, and that most of the class was back, including Shinji and Asuka. The bell rung and the droning of the teachers put people to sleep faster than anything a doctor would use.

* * *

Shopping District 

A blonde girl was dragging a taller boy with black hair through the streets. Rikku had finished making a second vest for Iak and was taking him out to see the city. That and get into the fashion of this reality.

"Oh, this looks cute. What do you think?" the blonde girl was pointing at a dress in a window

Iak looked at the dress and imagined what Rikku would look like in it. The dress in particular was vivid orange, the dress reaching the knees with no sleeves. The seams had red thread, causing an interesting effect of making the dress more noticeable. The neck swooped down to expose the breasts, not enough to be indecent, but still drawing eyes to it.

"Interesting, but I'm not sure about the colors"

Taking a moment to glance at Iak, Rikku turned back to the display and imagined herself in it

"Maybe" she said while thinking

She then grabbed his arm and dragged him into the shop. Finding a clerk, Rikku asked about the dress in the display while Iak sat on a conveniently placed stool. He saw Rikku wave a hand, signaling him to wait for her. Seeing his nod, the blonde girl followed the clerk to the back of the store.

Leaning back, Iak closed his eyes and attempted to rest. He was not used to being in public, mostly because there had not been a way to hide his wings and so had never been in this situation before. While waiting for Rikku he heard a feminine giggle. Correction, multiple females. Opening his eyes a crack, Iak saw that there were three women looking at him

One walked towards him, lifting a hand to wake him. The hand was mere inches away before Iak spoke up.

"May I help you?"

Jumping as though shocked, the woman pulled his hand back and said, "Well, we were wondering about what a cute guy like you was doing in a place like this"

Opening his eyes completely, he looked over the women who were curious about him. Two of them appeared to be sisters, the one talking to him the elder. A girl's day out for the three of them, he supposed.

Making sure to sound as diffident as possible, Iak replied, "Waiting for someone"

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Rikku coming back. Returning his attention to the girl in front of her, Iak stood up.

"Excuse me" he said with a sight bow

Walking over to Rikku, he allowed her to loop her arm through his. The girls were looking after him with slightly forlorn expressions.

The two of them left the store and walked in silence. After a few moments, Rikku pulled Iak to a nearby park. Arm in arm, they walked through the park before coming to rest on one of the benches. Neither said anything, letting themselves enjoy the peace

"It's nice, isn't it?" Rikku said, breaking the silence

Iak nodded an affirmative.

Leaning her head on his shoulder, Rikku then said, "Did you enjoy their company?"

This time Iak shook his head in the negative, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Worried?" he asked

The blonde girl shook her head and leaned into his embrace. They lapsed into silence again after that, listening to the breeze through the trees. The two of them stayed like that for a long time

* * *

Nerv HQ 

Misato was at her desk, finishing up the paperwork that had been piling up on her desk. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the agent that was assigned to follow her. However, the real agent had already been shoved into an out of the way spot and replaced with Shuri-Shara.

Reminding herself that it was the ninja, and not an agent, Misato relaxed into her work. Moments later, the door opened, allowing Ritsuko into the room.

"So how's life in solitary?" the doctor joked

Also joking, Misato replied, "Pretty nice actually"

Placing another stack of papers on the desk, Ritsuko said, "Well here, have a ball"

"Not funny Ritsuko"

Smiling, the doctor replied, "You said you were having fun"

Grumbling to herself about people not taking a joke, Misato grabbed the forms and went back to work. At the same time, the doctor observed the agent standing in the doorway.

"So, Pete, how's the spouse?"

Nodding back at her, Shuri-Shara played along, "Yeah, we're doing alright"

Smirking, Ritsuko replied, "Peter is divorced"

Frowning, the disguised ninja said, "Knew I should have done more research on the agents' personal lives"

Chuckling, Misato didn't look up from her work as she said, "That and read the agents' guidebook"

Eyebrows raised in surprise, he replied, "There's a guide?"

The women were now smiling broadly at the bemused ninja. Shaking his head, Shuri-Shara returned to normal with a puff of smoke, alarming the women.

"Kid, the camera" Misato hissed pointing in the direction of the said device

Waving a hand dismissively, he replied, "No biggie, set the thing on loop"

Looking up, Ritsuko looked to see an odd device connected to the camera.

"No need to worry, besides, I'm sure you want to talk, right?"

Nodding, Ritsuko reached into her pocket and showed him the card she received. The ninja looked at it and sighed before returning it to the doctor

"I see, so you and Iak are going to talk later"

Curious, the doctor asked, "And Iak is…?"

"Did you hear about the traveler they caught?" Misato inquired when Ritsuko trailed off

Nodding, the blonde doctor replied, "Yes, remarkable person, I would like to learn more about how she flies"

Shuri-Shara said, "He's her boyfriend"

Catching on quickly, Ritsuko said, "I see. Does he have a grudge against us?"

Receiving a shrug in answer, she turned to Misato, who replied, "Possibly, I don't really know him all that well"

Turning to the ninja for some info, Ritsuko saw him hold up his hands

"Don't look at me; this is my second mission with him. You want to know him, talk to him or to his fellow musketeers"

Seeing the inquisitive looks the women gave him, Shuri-Shara continued, "That would be Cairn and Hunter"

Misato tilted her head slightly as she said, "I met the Lieutenant, and I know Shinji has met with Cairn, but I haven't seen them in all the time with them"

Gulping silently, the ninja watched as Ritsuko turned to the purple-haired woman in confusion

"You haven't seen them? They are part of the team, so you should have at least seen messages from them if they were gone"

Shifting slightly, the ninja slowly edged towards the door

"No, that's the strangest thing; it's almost as if the others have completely forgotten them. They never seem to talk of their colleagues, and always seem to have something to direct us from thinking of them"

By this time Shuri-Shara was reaching for the door when the women turned and stared at him. Suddenly pinned by the twin stares, the ninja let a nervous laugh out as he scratched the back of his head while smiling meekly.

"Something you want to share with us" Ritsuko said in a neutral tone

The ninja didn't say anything, looking away to avoid their stares. Deciding on a new tactic, Misato got up and walked up to the boy.

"Come on, you can tell us," she said seductively, "we won't bite, much"

Shuri-Shara said with a wry tone, "I'm half female, remember?"

Flushing in embarrassment, Misato stood back up while Ritsuko had a confused look on her face, "Half female? Are you a hermaphrodite?"

Shaking his head, the ninja lifted his hands together and split apart. Now the doctor could see that there were two kids, one a boy the other a girl.

Raising an eyebrow inquisitively, Ritsuko asked, "Interesting, are you one person with two personalities that can manifest themselves physically, or are you two people who can fuse themselves together?"

The twins looked at one another for a moment before turning back and shrugging their shoulders. Nothing showed on their faces, but inside they were rejoicing that the women were distracted by their ability.

Suddenly Misato said, "See, they do something that totally makes you think of something else"

Catching herself, Ritsuko turned to the twins with a stern look on her face. Shuri stood straighter and tightened his jaw, to prevent anything from coming out. As for Shara, she stood there with a defiant look, daring them to try and make her talk.

"Alright, no more funny business kids. Now tell us what's going on" Ritsuko said in a strict tone

The ninja's looked at each other and seemed to be communicating silently.

"Well, with all the strangeness going on it seems like we should" Shuri said nervously.

Flinching at the glare his sister gave him, Shuri gave a pleading look. Huffing and turning her head away from him, the kunoichi said, "Whatever, it's your funeral"

Shuri took a deep breathe and stumbled into a story that both women listened to with their full attention.

* * *

School 

Shinji and Asuka had gone through the rest of the day listening to either the boy's cheering 'Shinji' for his 'victory' or the girls disapproving talks to 'Asuka'.

"Es verdammen!" Asuka shouted once they were out of earshot of anyone else

The fuming 'boy' stomped down the street, while Shinji followed as closely as he dared. Keevan and Sai were also following, but at a more safe distance. The raging teen eventually led them to the park, where Shinji was finally able to gather up his courage and try to calm Asuka down.

"Asuka," he began nervously, "please calm down"

Flinching slightly when Asuka swirled around, Shinji held Asuka's arms up to defend himself. Realizing that he was unharmed, he peeked through the slim arms to see that the former red-head was now sitting on a bench. Joining her, Shinji waited for the tirade that was sure to come. Seeing that they were not likely to go anywhere else, Sai sat down on the ground and pulled out his laptop. Keevan also sat down, but decided to watch the older kids.

After what seemed an eternity, Asuka spoke to Shinji, "Hey Shinji?"

Looking over, he replied, "Yes?"

"What do you think of what everyone is saying about us?"

Flushing slightly, Shinji replied, "They don't have all the information like Horaki does, so they're wrong. But they do have reason to think about what happened between us"

Nodding slightly, Asuka said, "Those boys are such pigs. All they ever think about is how to get into bed with the next girl"

Smirking slightly, Shinji said, "Including you?"

Flushing, the 'boy' grabbed Shinji in a headlock, "What was that, Ikari?"

Although the hold on him wasn't that strong, it was uncomfortable. Shinji struggled to pull himself out of her grasp even though he knew she wouldn't harm her old body

"N-nothing! Please let go!"

Releasing him with a satisfied smirk, Asuka leaned back. Keevan was watching the proceedings with interest

"Why do they fight? I thought they liked each other"

A smirk on his face, Sai looked up to see that Shinji and Asuka were talking with each other. Sometimes Asuka would get angry and shout at the former boy, and sometimes Shinji would say something teasing to her.

"Well sometimes people have a hard time expressing their feelings. The two fight because they don't quite understand their emotions and so try to express it that way"

Tilting his head, the boy mage tried to bend his thoughts around that idea and failed

"Why fight? Isn't it better to confess to your feelings?"

Shaking his head, Sai replied, "Hey, don't look at me, I don't have a girlfriend"

Keevan resumed observing the teens arguing with each other with interest. Since he was a little young for romance, the mage had a bit of a hard time understanding why people do things like this, and decided to learn what he could by observing others.

Unknowingly, Iak and Rikku were also in that same park and heading in their direction. The two rounded the corner to see the two teens arguing, with Sai and Keevan sitting a short distance away.

Slipping around a tree, Rikku dragged the male with her, "Oh, this is interesting"

Frowning slightly, Iak asked, "You want to watch them?"

She giggled quietly, "I have an idea, let's go"

She then dragged him off and away from the kids, leaving them unaware of their presence.

* * *

And there we go, another installment of _Deviance from the Norm. _Please R&R, and I'll get back as soon as possible. 


	19. Day Out

Chapter 19: Day Out

Hello again, with chapter 19. I hope that you will forgive the way that I don't update on a regular basis. Anyway, here's you're chapter, read and enjoy!!

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does.

Preread by YouarenotasrandomasI

* * *

Nerv HQ

It was the night shift, and Ritsuko was drinking her third cup of coffee. She had already finished her work, but had stayed behind so that she could go over what she learned that day. The day before, the ninja, or rather the male half, had told them the reasons for the absence for a few members of their team, and why they kept it quiet.

Flashback

"Okay," Shuri said, "here goes"

"The three that you're wondering about have left for America"

Tilting her head in confusion, Misato asked, "Why?"

Smiling wryly, Ritsuko said, "They went to the Third branch of Nerv"

The ninja nodded as he continued, "Yeah, they went to delay the coming of the Thirteenth"

At this, both women's eyes bulged, "What!"

Nodding, Shuri continued, "The number thirteen is associated with misfortune, and so the Thirteenth will appear some time after a great misfortune. That day is when the scientists at the Third branch attempt to install the S2 engine in unit-04"

Nodding, Ritsuko gestured for him to go on, but he was interrupted by Misato

"Wait, three?"

"Oh yeah, Kaitos went along with them" Shuri said in answer

Scratching her head, Misato said, "Wow, I never even thought of him, even during this conversation. In fact, now that I think about it, I never really recalled him at all"

Nodding, Shara said, "It's surprisingly easy to forget him, and it's better to stay as far from him as possible. The experiments he does are pretty disgusting"

* * *

On the fields outside US Nerv, the crippled Avatar sneezed loudly. Confused at why he sneezed, being that he had few allergies and was not currently sick, despite his infirmary, he turned to the others.

"Probably someone talking trash about you" Cairn said cooking on a portable stove

Hunter only stared out at the Nevada Nerv base

* * *

"Anyway," Shuri continued, "the three of them left and are doing everything possible to delay the Angel"

"Why not tell us, we can stop the whole process, and then we never have to deal with the Angel" the head of Tactics said

At this, the ninjas turned to one another and muttered to each other silently. The two women looked at one another in confusion before turning back to the ninjas.

Shara said, "I'm sorry, but that's classified for now"

Before either one could say anything Shuri said, "It's not that we want it to come, but if we stop it there, it'll just appear at a time that we can't control"

Both women could see the logic in that, but Misato then asked, "Why then, did you not tell us about this, we could still do something about it"

Shaking his head, Shuri said, "Unfortunately, we were still forbidden from telling you this"

Angrily, the purple-haired woman demanded, "By who?!"

In unison, the ninjas said, "The 'commander'"

Noticing the way that they said that, Ritsuko arched an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. Instead, she watched as Misato continued to try and get more information from the two. The doctor sat back and assimilated the information already given. The Avatars left to Nevada to delay the installation of the S2 engine, meaning that the process was doomed to failure. Recalling numerous reports of minor setbacks from the base, she realized how good these people really are, being able to delay a major project through subtle means.

* * *

Present

Drinking the last of her coffee, Ritsuko stood up and brushed her clothes. She picked up a book with numerous numbers and looked for one in particular. Dialing the number, Ritsuko waited for a few moments before receiving a reply.

"Yes, this is Dr. Akagi Ritsuko, is the head of directors there?"

She waited a moment before receiving an answer, "Yes, I was calling to see how everything was going with unit-04"

"_Well Doctor, as you know, we've been having some technical difficulties"_

Nodding, she replied, "And recently?"

"_Hell, we've had half a dozen leaks in half the coolant tanks. Then there's the short in one of the main computers that we are _still _looking for, then there's broken sensors, viruses, and whatnot. The list goes on and on, and at this rate it'll be a month before we can install the engine"_

_Actually more like two month's_, Ritsuko thought with a wry grin, knowing the plans the Avatars made

"Well keep to it, the Angels could attack anytime and we need another power source other than the cables"

She then hung up and leaned back into her chair. Pulling the card from her pocket, Ritsuko saw the date and time was for just after noon the next day. Looking at the clock, she saw that it was well past midnight. Opting to get some sleep, she got up and went in search of some well deserved rest.

* * *

Later that Day

The sky was partly cloudy, the weather promising rain later in the day. Taking note of this, Ritsuko prayed that it would not, since she did not have either a raincoat or an umbrella. She was sitting on a bench in a park, waiting for the appointed meeting, dressed in a blue blouse and black jeans. Taking a look at her watch, she noted that it was a few minutes before the appointed meeting.

Her stomach rumbling, Ritsuko began to wonder if not eating before going out was such a good idea when she heard a voice behind her.

"We can go get something to eat while we talk"

Jumping, Ritsuko turned to see that a young man had appeared behind her. He wore a green vest over an orange shirt with black baggy jeans. She noted that he had a scar on his left cheek and wore sunglasses.

"I assume that you're Iak?" she asked

Nodding, Iak turned, "Coming?"

Getting up, the doctor followed him to a nearby ramen shop. Sitting down on the seat next to him, she looked up to order something. About six minutes later, the two of them were slurping up noodles.

"So, Iak, I have a few questions I'm sure only you can answer"

Slurping up some more noodles, Iak swallowed before replying, "I'm sure I can"

Seeing that she would need to ask directly, Ritsuko took a few moments to compose herself.

"I have been told that you and Rikku were a couple"

"Yes" Iak replied

"Then, are you an avian-human as well?"

Nodding Iak slurped up the last of the noodles in his bowl and ordered another. He then turned to face the doctor, "Is the purpose of your questioning based solely around the individuals?"

Smirking, Ritsuko replied, "No, but I am quite interested in the people as well as your plans and purpose of coming to this world"

Picking up his chopsticks, Iak said, "Very well, just know that I will be limited in the answers I can provide."

Ritsuko looked over at the young man as he slurped up the noodles in his second bowl. While glad to receive his cooperation, she was slightly frustrated that she would possibly not get all the answers she wanted.

Deciding to find more about what the Avatars were doing, the doctor asked, "Where are you getting information about the Angels and Nerv?"

"Hacked the main computers"

Looking over at him, Ritsuko replied, "How do you get information about Angel attacks from the computers before we even get attacked?"

Silence met her question, so she asked another, "Well then, how about telling me what you know about the angels"

"We know as much as you do"

Frowning, Ritsuko realized that, although that was technically true, there was a deeper meaning behind his words.

"As much as I personally do or as much as _another_ Ritsuko does?"

A blank look on his face, Iak replied, "Yes"

Growling under her breath, she demanded, "Would you give a straight answer?"

Staring at the younger man, Ritsuko watched irritably as Iak ordered another bowl of noodles. Unfazed, the Avatar slurped up his noodles as he waited for her next question.

"Alright then, tell me if there any other plans you have made"

Iak replied in a neutral tone, "To continue to help until the danger from the risk of Third Impact has passed"

Intrigued, Ritsuko asked, "How many more Angels will there be?"

Finishing his current bowl of noodles, Iak replied, "After the Thirteenth, four"

Grinning at what at last appears to be a breakthrough, Ritsuko asked, "How will they attack? When will they come?"

"That is classified"

Dropping her head, Ritsuko muttered, "Like everything else"

Seeming as though to take pity on the woman, the Aerolan said, "One of the Council is coming here to restore Shinji and Asuka. You may talk with her if you wish and if she would allow it"

Her curiosity reignited, Ritsuko gestured for him to continue. Realizing that he wasn't paying attention when she did this, the doctor vocalized her request.

"She will be arriving tomorrow. I can ask her and-"

Iak's voice trailed off as he looked in one direction with a surprised look on his face. Following his gaze, Ritsuko noted that he was looking at a young woman. Wondering what was going on, she was about to say something when she realized that everyone around them weren't moving.

"Um, what's happening?" she asked in as calm a tone as she could make

Not answering her, Iak got from his seat and bowed to the woman he was looking at. When Ritsuko took a closer look at the woman, she noted that her entire appearance had changed. Standing up, the woman was about as tall as the doctor was, but with a slighter build. She wore a full length silver dress that was shimmering despite the low lighting. The sleeves were diaphanous and allowed a clear view of pale skin. Her hair was the same silvery color her dress was and reached partway past her shoulders.

That, however, she noticed afterwards, for the first thing that caught her attention was the mask. It was a full face mask that replicated perfectly a female's face. Made of some material that the doctor could not identify, it had holes for the eyes that were hidden in shadows.

"Council Mimara, it is a pleasure to see you again," Iak said while still bowed over, "I did not think that you would be here early"

The woman did not answer, only stepping past him to meet Ritsuko. She suddenly felt as though she was back in high school and that this woman was a teacher looking over her report, marking inaccuracies and errors. Only this teacher was grading her.

Nodding her head as though in approval, Mimara said, "Greetings, Akagi Ritsuko"

The doctor bowed back, nervously returning the greeting. Feeling like a child who was caught with her hand in the cookie jar, she felt as though she should confess everything to this person.

"There is no need for that" the woman said, startling Ritsuko

Iak had straightened up and was now standing behind her. He had a slightly wary look, but was as calm as he usually is. Mimara turned to him, causing him to stop.

"I will be at your place; I will talk with Ritsuko there"

Iak bowed again before taking his seat again, gesturing Ritsuko to follow suit. After resuming her seat, the doctor saw that the people around them were moving again. Feeling confused the doctor turned to Iak for answers.

"That was one of the Council. They are the ones who first started up the organization and the ones who assign missions" Iak said in an undertone

"What happened?"

"Council members were the first people to travel the infinite realms. Mimara was the second to enter the void, and is the second strongest. All of them are capable of manipulating time and space"

Gulping, Ritsuko asked the question that was front most in her mind, "What was she doing when she was looking at me?"

Looking around quickly, as though afraid that the woman was still around, even though she had disappeared as quickly as she appeared, Iak leaned in and said in an undertone, "She is known as the Secret Searcher. She knows everyone's life: their dreams, their memories, their secrets, everything"

Paling, Ritsuko realized that Mimara now knew everything about her. Knowing that someone knew her secrets made her feel exposed and vulnerable.

"Um, I think we can finish this conversation later" she said getting up

Iak nodded and pulled out his wallet, "I'll take care of this, you can go"

Stepping quickly outside, Ritsuko pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Puffing on the cancer-stick, she slowly calmed down.

"This is really getting weird" she said as she quickly walked back to Nerv.

Iak stepped out of the ramen shop a little after her and looked around

"Shuri, Shara, you can come down now"

The ninjas dropped down silently from the tree they were in. Shuri with a sheepish look on his face, Shara with an irritated look.

"She's scary" Shuri said with a slight shiver

Nodding, Iak started walking, the two kids following behind, "We had best get back and get Shinji and Asuka"

The three hurried down the street, where the rest of the inhabitants of their base would soon meet the Second Council.

* * *

There you go, I hope you enjoyed reading this installment. R&R and I'll get back with the next chapter as soon as possible.

Later!


	20. Switching Back

Chapter 20: Switching Back

Hello all you readers! I'm back with another installment of Deviance from the Norm. I know all you people can't wait for more, so here you go!

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do, however, claim ownership of all original characters

Preread by YouarenotasrandomasI

* * *

Shopping District

It was a few hours after noon, and there were many people about. Among the people was a pair of teenage kids. Anyone who thought the kids were out on a date, were very wrong. Nervously following his old body, Shinji wondered what Asuka could want to do here. Although she said to but new clothes, he couldn't help but wonder what else she was up to.

"Asuka, are we there yet?"

Wickedly smiling, Asuka replied, "Yep"

The two were standing in front of a fairly large clothing store. Grabbing Shinji's borrowed arm, she dragged him into the store. They continued through the store until they had reached the men's section. Now realizing what her goal was, Shinji let out a low groan.

"Asuka, I've already told you, I don't need any new clothes" he said in a traditional Asuka-like whine

Frowning, the former red-head dragged the boy down the aisles of clothing, "Shut up baka. You need something other than just this stupid school uniform. It'll do you good to have something nice to wear for day to day activities"

Grumbling, Shinji allowed himself to be dragged towards a rack of clothes, where Asuka proceeded to search for something suitable for Shinji. Holding several shirts against the body she was borrowing, she considered different options for him.

_This blue shirt should go well with his eyes, _she thought, _I should probably get him something formal as well._

While she was doing this, Shinji looked around the store, observing the other people around them. He was interrupted from his musings when Asuka tugged on his sleeve.

"Come on," she said impatiently, "I want to try these on"

Into the changing rooms she went, Shinji waiting outside. Listening to Asuka muttering something about shoes, he let his thoughts drift.

_I wonder, what does Asuka think of me?_ He thought to himself

He went over what had happened during the time they spent together. During the first week the two spent in be spelled closeness, they had been growing closer. After the crisis with the shadow Agric, the bond seemed to grow stronger. Shaking his head to clear thoughts of the vile being, Shinji let his thoughts drift to other things. When they swapped bodies, things were, for lack of a better word, weird. The two were living the way the other did, and learning more about each other.

The door opened, and Shinji turned to see himself completely changed. Asuka had dressed his body in loose jeans, blue t-shirt, green wind-breaker, and a baseball cap with Yankees on it.

Looking in the mirror, Asuka said, "You look good like this"

Pulling a few tough guy poses, she continued, "Let's see what else you look good in"

The boy could only watch helplessly as Asuka went back into the changing room. Not even waiting for his opinion, just like she usually does. Sighing in resignation, Shinji turned to see the two people he least wanted to see. Kensuke and Touji were walking down the aisles, looking at the clothes on display.

Pushing into the changing room, he startled Asuka, who was trying on some different clothes.

"Baka, what the hell are you-" she was interrupted when Shinji placed a hand over her mouth

"Touji and Kensuke are outside" he said in a low undertone

Eyes widening, Asuka peeked through the door to see that it indeed was true. The two remaining stooges were outside. Frowning, Asuka closed the door and locked it.

"We'll just have to wait till they leave" she said confidently

Internally, she was slightly worried. Forget having Shinji barging in on her while changing, even though technically it was his own body, having the others outside made it even more difficult as the room wasn't really that big.

Outside, the two boys were looking through the formal wear section. Touji picked one up and held it against himself.

"Hey, what do you think of this?"

Kensuke, bored out of his mind, asked, "Why are we here again? And why are you so worried about clothes all of a sudden?"

Flushing slightly, the other boy replied, "In case we have to go somewhere and need something nice to wear"

Slanting his eyes, Kensuke said, "I think you're looking for clothes in case you go on a date with a certain female"

Jumping, Touji said, "Who said I wanted to take Hikari out on a date?"

"I didn't say it would be with the class rep"

Blushing a deep red, the jock replied, "Just tell me if this seems nice"

Sighing, Kensuke walked away, "I don't care, just pick something nice, go on your date, and leave your best friend for good"

Grabbing the four-eyed stooge, Touji asked, "Hey, stop that. We'll always be friends, you, me, and Shinji"

"Yeah right, Shinji's already lost his soul to the red devil, and now you're roped in by the class rep. Why is it that my two best friends are dating the two worst girls in the whole world?"

The two began a series of debates about girls, dating, and why Shinji and Asuka were spending so much time together.

Meanwhile, the topic of their conversation were trapped in the dressing room, waiting with bated breathe for the two stooges to leave. Their prayers went unheard as the two walked towards them.

Knocking on their door, Touji asked, "Hey, are you done yet?"

Disguising Shinji's voice, Asuka said, "Just begun, I may be in here a while, so you may try somewhere else"

Fingers crossed, the pilots hoped for them to follow their advice. Unfortunately, the fates seemed to be against them as Touji took a seat against the wall.

"That's okay, I can wait," he said crossing his arms, "we don't have anything to do, so take your time"

By now the two pilots were beginning to panic. Touji and Kensuke were both trapping them inside the room. Leaving would only get them in trouble, as Kensuke was most likely filming everything around him with his stupid camera.

"Asuka," Shinji whispered fearfully, "what do we do now?"

While Asuka was pondering on their next move, Sai and Keevan entered the store. Since Keevan was a child, there weren't many school uniforms he could wear, so he had to get them custom made.

The pair spotted Touji and Kensuke talking to each other by the dressing room and headed towards them.

"Hey, what are you two up to?" Sai asked

Frowning, Kensuke replied, "Touji's getting clothes to get ready for his date with the class rep"

Keevan decided to check with the clerk about his uniform and left the elder boys to talk amongst themselves. At the moment, Sai was introducing to them to some interesting news

"The schools going to host a costume dance party next week. I've heard that there will be food, drinks, music, and a costume contest at the end" Sai said in an enthusiastic tone

The stooges were intrigued by this news. Since Second Impact, there has been a drought in school festivities and cheer, so this costume dance was something that was well needed and well deserved.

"Wow," Touji exclaimed, "this should be awesome. Where did you hear about this?"

Tapping the side of his nose, Sai said in a mischievous tone, "I have my sources"

The three were enthusiastically talking about the event while Keevan returned carrying a bag with his school uniform. Finding Sai talking with the stooges, the mage took a seat next to the door of the dressing room. The child, although well trained in self-defense and capable of going home by himself, was still a child with the fear of being alone.

Waiting, he heard a light tapping coming from the room next to him. Turning, the door opened slightly to reveal both Asuka and Shinji.

"Hey, kid," Asuka began, "could you help us out?"

Keevan nodded, "That shirt is really nice," he said, "how about wearing a lighter shade?"

Confused, Asuka was about to ask what he was talking about when Shinji said, "Please help us get out of here without Touji or Kensuke seeing us"

Smiling, the young boy nodded as he replied, "Well, since you said please. Give me a minute"

Surreptitiously pulling out his wand, Keevan muttered a few words and pointed it at the stooges who were talking with Sai. A light green glow appeared, unnoticed by the three, around them. Holding a finger to his mouth in a shushing gesture, Keevan motioned for them to leave.

Mouthing thanks, Shinji allowed himself to be dragged by a grumbling Asuka towards the front door. Outside, Asuka began to vent her anger by swearing loudly in both German and Japanese.

"Verdammen! Those damn stooges had to come in at THAT time! When I get my hands on them, I'll-"

Whatever she was about to say next was interrupted when both their cells rang simultaneously. Wondering who was calling, they pulled out and pushed the connect buttons.

"Shinji, Asuka, return to main", came Iak's neutral voice, "We can put you two back to rights now"

The signal then disconnected, leaving the teens feeling excited. They were finally going to be returning to their own bodies. Running towards the nearest alleyway, Shinji checked for any watchers while Asuka activated the special feature on her cell. When the portal opened up, Shinji followed his body through, arriving instantaneously in front of the door to the Avatars' base of operation.

Upon entering, the pilots noticed an odd feel in the air. Peering around, the pair noticed Rikku and another woman talking over tea. She was wearing a silver dress as well as a full silver mask. The woman in silver turned to see them, and gestured towards the couch

"Come, join us" the masked woman said

Asuka stepped up and asked the woman in an impetuous tone, "Are you the one who can put me back in my body?"

Cringing slightly, Shinji told her in a low undertone, "Don't make her mad Asuka. She might not if you do"

Realizing her mistake, Asuka took a deep breath and then tried to say, "Well, I, um, that is…"

Raising her hand to stop the girl's attempts, the woman told her, "There is no need for that, Asuka. My name is Mimara, the Second Council, and yes, I am here to help the two of you"

Breathing sighs of relief, the teens smiled at one another. Then they looked in confusion as they turned back to the masked woman.

"How did you know my name?" Asuka asked

Chuckling slightly, Rikku answered the question for the other woman, "She's one of those types who can't keep her nose out of other people's business"

Fearing for the Aerolan's life, the teens wondered what Mimara would do with such insolence. To their surprise, the masked woman also chuckled, but less so than Rikku.

Directing her attention back to the pilots, Mimara told them, "My unofficial title is the Secret Searcher. There is nothing that I don't know about anyone"

Both teens gulped at this as they feared what she would do with the knowledge she had. Seeing her gesture to the seats again, Shinji and Asuka sat and were given tea.

"Don't worry," Rikku said, "Mimara's actually nice, and she won't tell anyone your secrets. That is, unless you make her mad"

The pair shared a small chuckle, to which Shinji and Asuka looked on in confusion as Iak sat down next to them

"Yeah, they confuse me too" he said in a wry tone

Mimara turned to Iak and replied, "Is that why you were in your room praying to every god and goddess you know?"

Flushing while Rikku laughed at him, the Aerolan replied, "I admit, yes, and also because you're one of the few people who can actually send a shiver down my spine"

Putting down her empty teacup, the masked woman stood up, "Might as well start on what you asked me to do"

She took a few quick steps towards the little open space in the living room and turned. Shinji and Asuka found themselves standing in front of her without ever recalling getting up. Swallowing down their fear, they unconsciously grabbed each other's hand.

Placing a hand on each teens forehead, Mimara said, "Close your eyes"

Doing so, they had their eyes closed for no more than a few seconds before she then said, "Okay, you can open them"

Confused, Asuka was about to shout out her questions when she realized that the hand that was holding Shinji's had reversed. Turning, she saw that she was looking at Shinji, not herself. The boy was looking over his own body, as though making sure that everything was alright.

"Well that was quick and easy," Asuka said, delighting in using her own voice again, "I don't see why we needed to close our eyes for"

Rikku answered for Mimara, "Imagine you're watching the landscape pass by while driving in a car. Now imagine that at a hundred thousand times that speed"

Both felt a little green, seeing as how they felt that way whenever they went riding with Misato. Shinji turned to Mimara and bowed to her

"Thank you for putting us back to our right bodies"

Tilting her head, she replied, "It is no real deal. I often have to deal with problems like this all the time"

Feeling an elbow digging into her side, Asuka turned and bowed to the woman, "Thank you"

Nodding back, Mimara turned to the other two, "I would like to see my old student again before I leave"

The door opened at that moment as two boys entered the building. Carrying a few bags, Keevan and Sai looked slightly exhausted

"Tadaimas" the duo said as they entered

The younger looked up and a big smile grew on his face. Dropping his bags, he rushed into Mimara's arms.

"Sensei, you made it!"

Laughing lightly, the masked woman said in a kindly tone that contrasted greatly with her imposing mask, "I'm glad to see that you're alright little one"

A quizzical look on her reacquired face, Asuka turned to Iak and Rikku. The female responded, "Keevan doesn't have much family before entering the Avatars, and kind of sees her as a motherly figure"

Shinji wondered how such a frightening figure could possibly be at all mother-like. Looking to the pair, he saw that Keevan was acting like the child he was. Normally, the boy mage acted mature, like an adult. It was rare when Keevan acted like a kid, but here he was with this figure he saw like a mother.

Noting the time, Shinji decided that maybe he should help cook dinner. Walking away, it was a while before he realized that something was different. Turning around, he saw that he was now standing more than five feet from Asuka

Hearing a gasp, the red-head turned to ask Shinji what was wrong before realizing that they were farther apart than they were for the past few weeks. Everyone else was also surprised, and turned to Mimara for answers.

Behind the emotionless mask, she said, "I fixed a few other things while I fixed them"

Unaffected by the incredulous stares directed at her, Mimara turned back to Keevan and asked him how he's been. Not really understanding what was going on, Keevan led her to the bookshelf, where he began to tell her everything that happened.

Iak stepped by Shinji and asked, "Do you feel any different?"

Remembering how they used to be able to sense each others feelings, Shinji closed his eyes and concentrated.

'Damn witch. Why does this keep happening? It's been one thing after another for us-'

Opening his eyes and gulping, Shinji turned to see that Asuka was staring at Mimara's back as though trying to burn a hole through her. Stiffly turning back around, the boy walked into the kitchen as silently as possible.

Understanding what was most likely happening at the moment; Iak turned to Rikku and gestured towards Asuka. Nodding in understanding, she got up and stepped up behind the red-head and led her protesting away.

"It's about to get really loud, isn't it?" Sai asked

Nodding, Iak pulled out two pairs of earplugs and gave a set to the technician. Putting the other pair in his own ears, he took position by the kitchen door should the need to stop Asuka forcefully arise.

"Shinji, get ready to cover your ears" he called in warning, since he only had the two pairs of plugs

The boy was about to ask what he was talking about when a screech reverberated through the building.

_It's a good thing we don't have neighbors_, the Aerolan thought while sighing

* * *

There we go, another chapter down. And in record time too, I can't remember the last time I updated so quickly. Anyway, please R&R and I'll get back as soon as possible with the next chapter

Later!


	21. Normality? Yeah Right!

Chapter 21 : Normality? Yeah Right!

Hey again! I'm back with yet another chapter for this story. Read on, and enjoy. Later!

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters, and if there is any semblence to characters of other stories or real people, it is coincidential

* * *

Shinji and Asuka were on their way back to school. This time though, they were both in high spirits because they were back in their own bodies. Asuka was actually humming and smiling as she skipped along

Upon arrival to the school gates, the red head turned to Shinji with a stern look on her face, "Alright baka, remember, not a single word about the past few weeks"

Sighing, the boy replied, "Hai, Asuka"

"And one other thing," she said in a deadly tone, "If I catch you snooping in my head, I'll kill you, understand?"

Gulping, Shinji nodded in compliancy. Satisfied that she got her message through, Asuka smiled and patted him on the head as if he was a well behaved pet.

"Good, now run along like a good boy"

* * *

Class 2-A

Hikari was sitting on her desk when the door opened. Looking up, she saw that Asuka had entered the classroom. Alone. With a broad smile on her face.

Sitting in her seat behind Hikari, Asuka stretched out her arms and legs with a relieved sigh

"Um, Asuka-san"

"Yeah"

"You're back to normal I see"

Smiling broadly, Asuka replied, "Yep, and I am glad for it"

At that moment, the door opened again, this time with Shinji entering the room. The real Shinji, seeing as how Asuka was back in her own body.

"Ohayo Shinji-kun"

Turning, the boy waved and was about to reply when he was grabbed by his collar by Touji.

"Excuse us ladies" Kensuke said as Shinji was being dragged to the far corner of the room.

In the corner, Touji was already interrogating the bewildered boy, "Alright Ikari, spill. What have you and the red devil been doing for the past few weeks?"

Flushing, Shinji replied, "We didn't do anything"

Joining them, Kensuke retorted, "Yeah right, the two of you have been stuck together like glue for so long that people think you've been going steady"

Recovering, the other boy replied, "Wait, no! It's not like that!"

While the stooges were locked in interrogation, Keevan and Sai entered the room. The tech Avatar went to his seat and immediately stuck his head in his laptop and began to type on it. The boy mage also took his seat, but was watching the people around him with interest.

A few moments after them, the teacher came in. The standard routine went by, and soon everyone was sound asleep. There were a few exceptions, but they were doing anything but listening to the old man. Hikari and Asuka were currently on a chat room, seeing as how there was nothing else to do.

* * *

Rep: So Asuka, what happened? How did you two return to normal?

RedChamp1: Long story. Short version-some witch put us back

Rep: Witch?

RedChamp1: Yep

At her desk, Asuka was grimly recollecting what happened last night.

* * *

Flashback

"Why did you let that _hentai_ into my head!?!"

The red-head was being held back by Rikku who was having a bit of a hard time holding the pilot. Shinji was cowering behind Iak, while Sai had the pretense to barricade himself in his room before the explosion.

"Relax Asuka," Rikku said while struggling to hold the red-head, "I'm sure Mimara has a good reason"

Meanwhile, Shinji was receiving the verbal tirade in surround sound. He was hearing both physically and mentally everything Asuka was shouting. In some ways, what she thought was impossible to understand since she thought it in German, but the undertone was unmistakable

Mimara was calmly looking through the bookshelves as Keevan nervously hid behind her. It seemed like hours before Asuka finally stopped shouting, though Shinji was still hearing her mind throwing curses around. Turning, Asuka gave him a death glare, causing him to shudder.

_I know you can hear me dummkopf, so you better GET OUT!!_

Shuddering, Shinji turned his gaze away and attempted to not read Asuka's thoughts. The red-head could hear Shinji's thoughts as he attempted to stay out of her mind.

_Okay, don't think about Asuka. Clear my mind, don't think about her, don't think about her, don't think about her, she's really cute when she's angry… damn, hope she didn't hear that_

Fighting the urge to blush, Asuka turned to Mimara and demanded, "Fix this now"

Finally turning to face the red-head, the masked woman replied, "No"

Before she could go into another tirade, Mimara continued, "It is not because I don't want to, but rather because I can't because of special circumstances"

At this everyone turned to look at her curiously. Looking down to Keevan, the masked woman asked, "Do you have the original spell that bound them together?"

Nodding, the boy reached to the restricted section of the shelf, negating the field around it and pulled out a scroll.

"Here it is"

Opening it, the woman waved a hand over it, causing the letters on it to levitate. The sigils and markings glowed in various colors, red being predominate

"There is something about the spell that prevents me from disabling it completely. Although I can force the spell to stop, I would be causing irreversible harm to both of you"

She then gestured and the sigils rearranged themselves. Looking at them in a thoughtful way, or what seemed to be thoughtful seeing as how no one could tell what she was thinking due to her mask.

"There's a clause here that I don't understand," she said, "Keevan, what is this?"

Looking at it, he shook his head while saying, "Sorry, I don't know. Shuri-Shara might, they-"

"I see," Mimara interrupted

Now calmed down, Asuka asked, "Well, get them and ask what it is"

The woman didn't move, instead tilting her head back as though in recollection.

"How to say this," she mused, "The spell is one of the few spells that I've seen that is unbreakable"

"Um, so then what will break the spell?" Shinji asked in a nervous tone while Asuka had a shocked look on her face.

Rikku said, "Remember when Iak first told you about the conditions of separation?"

They did, and both of them flushed bright red. The original conditions called for them to confess true love and share a kiss, or to share a bed.

"Still there" Rikku said, with traces of amusement on her face.

Despite the protests and pleadings, there was nothing Mimara could do without harming the pilots

* * *

Present

RedChamp1: Let's forget about it for now, ok?

Rep: Alright

Rep: So, how's Shinji?

RedChamp1: Same as usual

Rep: That's good

Rep: Did you hear about the costume dance party this coming Saturday?

RedChamp1: Really?

Rep: Yeah, there's also going to be a costume contest afterwards

RedChamp1: Heh, another chance for me to show who the best is

Rep: Later, they'll be coming up to announce who is going to be the judges

RedChamp1: How'll they be choosing?

Rep: Lotto

Meanwhile, Shinji, Touji, and Kensuke were also on a chat room. The other two were trying hard to pry information from the brown-haired boy. Seeing that he wasn't budging, they changed the topic of discussion to the dance.

SportStar: Yeah, Sai told me that they were going to randomly choose five students to be judges

1Ltfreak: I wonder who they will choose.

Lost1: Who knows?

SportStar: There's going to be different categories: Best Female, Male, Group, and Single

Lost1: Should we enter the competition?

1Ltfreak: We should probably wait till they announce who'll be judges

SportStar: Makes sense

Just at that moment, the principal's voice came over the PA.

"_Attention all students, we have just completed the selection, and will now be announcing who'll be judges for the upcoming costume dance"_

At this, people began murmuring excitedly amongst themselves. Whoever was judge would be the most popular person in school.

"_The first judge is Taichi Mutou of class 2-F. The second judge, from 2-E, is Marik Todoke. The third judge is Kurosaki Kenpachi. The fourth and fifth judges are in class 2-A, Keevan Markan and Shinji Ikari"_

At the last announcement, all eyes turned to the two boys, both of whom had sunk so that only their eyes were level with their desks. Already there were a few people thinking up of a plan to get some brownie points to win the costume contest.

_Why me?_ Both of them at the same time

Asuka was looking around in slight disgust. She didn't like people who did anything to win. Turning back to her laptop, she sent a message to Hikari.

RedChamp1: Look at them, all plotting on how to get Shinji to vote for them in the contest

Rep: Don't forget Keevan

RedChamp1: Right

Rep: Are you actually more worried about Shinji?

Asuka flushed lightly as she quickly typed back a reply

RedChamp1: NO WAY!!

RedChamp1: I just don't like people who do anything to win

Rep: Alright, whatever

RedChamp1: So, what are you dressing up as?

Rep: I'm not entirely sure. You?

RedChamp1: I will be going as Éclair

Rep: Oh, from that anime Kiddy Grade?

RedChamp1: Yep

Rep: I don't know

RedChamp1: What? You don't think I can pull it off?

Rep: Sort of, see, that character is your complete opposite

RedChamp1: Well then you haven't seen my great skills in acting

Hikari only rolled her eyes as the bell rang for break. Getting up, she looked to see that there were already a few girls trying to get Shinji's favor. At the same time, she saw that Asuka was looking at the group with a red face.

"Come on Hikari, let's go" the red-head said, pulling her friend out the room

Shinji was being mobbed by girls who were trying to impress him. Keevan, once he heard he was a judge, had used an invisibility spell and was now waiting for the bell to ring so they could go home. It was most unfortunate that the mage could not help Shinji, but the pilot was able to squirm out of it and exit the classroom.

In the hallway, Shinji was moving, hoping to escape notice until class resumed. He was about to go around a corner when he sensed Asuka's thoughts coming from around it. He was about to turn the other way when he heard them talking.

"What's wrong Asuka?"

"Nothing"

Contrary to what she was saying, Shinji knew. Although he wasn't listening to her thoughts, he knew her enough to tell that something was troubling her.

Knowing what would happen if she knew he was near, he was about to leave when Hikari spoke up again, "It involves Shinji, doesn't it?"

Feeling the blush across the connection, Shinji heard Asuka say, "What?! Why would I be having problems with that baka?"

Hikari was shaking her head, "Oh Asuka. You're confused aren't you?"

"About what?"

"Your feelings"

Feeling her blush again, Shinji heard Asuka reply, "I-I don't understand"

"You like him, right?"

Asuka choked a little, "W-who? There's only one man in my life, and that's-"

"Not Kaji," Hikari interrupted, "you and I know that he's in love with Misato. I'm talking about Shinji"

Unable to control himself, Shinji let himself listen to the red-head's thoughts.

_Damn Hikari. What the hell is she doing? If she keeps this up, I can't keep pretending that I hate Shinji, and that I really-_

Her thoughts were interrupted by the bell, so that whatever Asuka was thinking was cut off. Realizing that she would be coming in his direction, Shinji quickly ran down the hall, entering the classroom just before Asuka came around the corner.

Entering, the red-head felt a brief moment of anger and some other emotions as she saw that Shinji was being bugged by some girls. Resting her head on her desk, Asuka once again tried to get a hold on her emotions. It wasn't that she didn't want to feel them; it was that she didn't know what to do with them. Resolving herself to talk with Rikku or Misato about this, she looked up and continued the rest of her day.

* * *

Woohoo! Another chapter done! R&R, and I'll get back as soon as I can.

Later!


	22. Love's Beginning

Chapter 22: Love's beginning

Hey all, it's me again. This is number 22, and things are moving smoothly. I would also like to celebrate passing 100 reviews. WOOHOO, now I feel like a good author! Read on my loyal readers!

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters, and if there is any resemblence to characters in other stories, or to real people, it is merely coincidental

I would like to give thanks to a few readers who have stuck by through the beginning:

Thank you TearsOfHurt13 for your 'stimulating' reviews

Thanks for sticking with it Raven6 and your lovely advice

Thanks for your support Frost-Eva-04, keep it frosty!

And thanks to all you others who read and give me support

Chapter preread and edited by YouarenotasrandomasI

On with the show...

* * *

Avatar Base

Shinji and Keevan were currently being helped by Sai on their homework. Having already completed hers earlier, Asuka went out looking for Rikku, seeking advice for her conflicting emotions. Looking around, she decided to check out some of the doors in the hallway. Noting where the rooms for the others were, she opened one of the doors she didn't know what was behind and looked in.

At first, she thought she was seeing things, but after rubbing her eyes she knew she was actually seeing it. The room was large, bigger than Keevan's, and it was a jungle, a real Amazonian jungle, with a little stream flowing past her. Looking around in disbelief, she turned to her right to see a couple of bags. Checking the tags on the bag, Asuka saw Hunter's name on them and concluded that this was where he stayed when he was home.

Closing the door, she went to the next one and peeked through. This time there was nothing there, or rather she couldn't see anything. Up, down, everywhere there was nothing but blackness. Feeling nervous, Asuka decided against looking further and closed the door.

The next door opened before she could even put her hand on the handle. Rikku poked her head out and arched her eyebrows in slight surprise.

"Can I help you?" she asked

Looking down the hall, Asuka saw that Shinji was still hard at work. Checking his thoughts and feeling relieved that he didn't notice her; she turned back to the Aerolan.

"Can I speak with you?" Asuka asked, "In private?"

The glance down the hall didn't lose any meaning on Rikku, who replied, "Come in"

Stepping inside, Asuka saw that the walls and ceiling were views of the sky, giving the impression that they were outside. The room was fairly big, with a circle about three and a half meters across drawn into the floor on one side. Next to the circle was a rack full of various weapons, most of which could be described as sharp. In the opposite corner was a bowl shaped nest. There were a few feathers littering the nest, both black and brown feathers. Opposite the door next to the rack was a table with tea supplies.

Looking up from her observations, Asuka saw that Rikku had made a pot of tea and was pouring out two cups. Seating at the table, the red-head accepted a cup and took a sip.

"So," Rikku began, "what did you want to talk about?"

Flushing slightly, Asuka stuttered, "Well, I was wondering about, um, well, do you, er…"

Sighing, the Aerolan finished for her, "You're feeling emotions that you don't quite understand. You don't know what they mean, and you need advice"

Looking up in surprise, the red-head asked, "That's right. How did you know?"

Smiling, Rikku ran her fingers through her hair and replied, "I've been in your position before, so I understand what you've been going through"

Curious, Asuka asked, "You have?"

"Yep," Rikku replied, "I've had a similar situation to what you are having now with Shinji"

Flushing a deeper red, the pilot replied, "What, Shinji? Who said this was about him?"

Smiling, Rikku told her, "Who else? The two of you are bound together, and you've learned so much about each other. It's the most logical thing to think"

"So, what are they?" Asuka asked with trepidation

"You're in love with Shinji-kun" Rikku told her bluntly

Before the red-faced red-head could protest, the blonde Aerolan replied, "Don't deny it. Remember Agric?"

Shivering, Asuka realized that she was subconsciously doing what the vile shadow had told her to do for most of her life. Rikku's hand appeared and placed itself on the teen's hand. Looking up, Asuka saw a look of compassion on Rikku's face

"Don't worry, let it go. Now let's get to the business of you and Shinji"

Nodding, Asuka took a deep breath, "I think you're right. I really like Shinji, but I don't know what to do"

"Talk to him," Rikku advised, "tell him your feelings for him"

"But what if he hates me? I don't know what I would do if he rejects me" Asuka said in a forlorn tone

A level look on her face, the Aerolan replied, "Are you kidding?"

Blushing in embarrassment, Asuka mentally slapped herself. Of course Shinji didn't hate her; she saw it enough times in previous forms of connections to know that.

Smiling now, Rikku said, "Now that that's been cleared, let's discuss how you're going to tell him"

Looking inquisitively at the Aerolan, the red-head asked, "What do you suggest?"

Leaning towards her, Rikku said, "I hear that there's a dance coming up. Go to it with him, then, when the time is right, go up to him and confess"

Asuka flushed a little as she tilted her head down, "I don't know…"

Wrapping an arm around the red-faced girl's shoulders, the Aerolan said, "Let me tell you the story of how I first met Iak. Maybe that'll make you feel better"

Asuka looked up as Rikku began to tell her tale.

"When I first met Iak, my first reaction was of great revulsion. You know how our kind looks down on those with the black wings. It was no different with me; I saw him and instantly hated him."

Asuka remembered her first impression of Shinji as being a weak, spineless coward.

"At that time, however," Rikku continued, "I was banished from my home for unspecified reasons"

This last part was said in an odd tone that said a great deal, but Asuka decided not to delve too deeply into it.

"So when I first saw him, I also saw how I could use him to be able to return home and be forgiven. I figured that if I killed him and brought his wings before the other's the others would look up to me and that I would be respected as well as forgiven"

Another twinge of guilt, as Asuka remembered how she would use Shinji to do her chores and such.

"So I tried to kill him. I tried so many times, in so many different ways. I've been going at it for about five years"

Seeing the incredulous look on Asuka's face, Rikku said, "I know, but I am a very stubborn person. Ever since we were nine, I've tried every trick I knew, as well as a few I made up, to kill him. And yet none ever worked, so I kind of became desperate"

Rubbing her left wing near the second joint, Rikku told her, "I pretended to have a broken wing and lured him into a trap I had set up. Even though I've tried to kill him many times, Iak was always so kind. He sometimes brings me meals when I've forgotten to feed myself for a few days, or gives me some blankets during cold weather. I figured I could use his kindness against him, use him again"

Chuckling mirthlessly, Rikku continued, "The trap worked; too well. I was also caught in it, but we were fortunate to escape alive. This time, I really broke my wing as well as my leg. When I finally came to, I saw that Iak had set my bones and bound them"

Riveted, Asuka asked, "Why did he do that? I thought you tried to kill him"

"I asked him that same question. Do you know what he told me?"

Seeing the red-head shake her head, Rikku told her, "He said, 'Because I didn't want to see you in pain'"

Seeing the look of disbelief, the female Aerolan told her, "That was my reaction too. I admit, I thought that he had some hidden agenda, and that he was using me for something. But he actually cared about me, and was willing to take time to help others. Iak showed me more kindness by staying by my side and helping me while I recovered"

Asuka bit her lip as she remembered how the pair of them was like Rikku and Iak. The kind boy is constantly tormented by the female. Granted, Asuka never went to such extremes as to kill someone, she was still very mean to Shinji.

A small smile on her face, Rikku saw Asuka's dilemma and decided to tell her something else.

"I later found that I was the first Aerolan he'd seen in years, and that he actually glad to see me so often. Granted, I always tried to kill him, but I've noticed that he seemed to be happier when I was around. I found myself in conflict; I've had plans for getting back home, but I had realized that even bringing Iak's wings might not be enough to be forgiven. Deciding to accept my fate, I stayed with Iak and his surrogate parents. Being in close proximity with him, I got to know him better, and I soon realized that I had begun to grow fond of him"

Placing a hand over her heart, Rikku continued with a slight flush, "I was also worried about his reaction, but then he came to me and took me out to see a lovely sunset. He took my hands, looked me in the eyes, and told me he loved me"

Turning to Asuka, Rikku told her, "Don't have fear about what might happen between you and Shinji. You know better than anyone that he cares about you"

Nodding, the red-head said with a shy smile, "Thanks. I guess I needed to talk with someone about this. I'm feeling a whole lot better"

Smiling back, Rikku told her, "That's alright. If you ever need help, or a cup of tea to talk over, you know who to go to"

Getting up, Asuka bowed politely and skipped to the door. Before opening it, she turned back to the female Aerolan.

"I was wondering, why are there black feathers in your, er, bed?"

Smiling back, Rikku replied, "Who said that it was mine?"

Flushing, Asuka muttered something about perverts, to whom the blonde girl obviously heard, for she laughed as she replied, "You're going to be in that position sooner or later, so get used to the idea"

Slamming the door, Asuka left in a huff. Rikku chuckled as she put away the tea things and cleaned the cups.

Doing so, she sighed, "I really hope they can get together"

* * *

Nerv HQ 

Gendo was reviewing a report about the status of the pilots. Doctor Ritsuko had given the report, telling him that the kids were now able to pilot their Evas. Although the information that his pilots were now usable was good, it still troubled him. For his plans to succeed, Shinji must be prepared by the Angels, and if the Avatars continued to help, his planning will be for naught.

Briefly, Gendo thought of isolating the pilots from the travelers by making them live in the base. He just as quickly discarded the idea, since the security system would be ineffective against the otherworldly travelers.

Picking up the reports from Section 2, he looked at various photos of possible travelers. The majority of them were of one or more ninja, or parts of a ninja. In all of the photos, the agents had failed at getting a proper shot or at following them.

The phone then rang, interrupting the Commander's musings. Picking it up, Gendo said, "Yes?"

"_This is Section 2. Sir, we believe to have uncovered the identity of one other traveler"_

Interest piqued, he told the agent, "Forward all information regarding this to Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki and myself"

"_Understood sir"_

Hanging up, Gendo watched as papers began to come from the fax machine on his desk. Once no more papers came, he gathered them up and began to leaf through them. The first paper had a picture of a boy and his personal information.

The picture was of a ten year old boy. The name under the picture was Keevan Markan.

* * *

The next day 

Keevan was strolling along towards the school. Raising his hand, he stifled a yawn that brought tears to his eyes.

"I should have gone to bed earlier," he grumbled.

Unknown to him, a black van was following him. Inside the van were three Section 2 operatives. One was driving while the other two had surveillance equipment. Since there was insufficient evidence that the child was one of the travelers, they could only observe him. Abducting a child could lead to dire consequences, unless special procedures were followed.

They followed the child discreetly, not knowing that they themselves were being observed. Flying above them were Rikku and Iak, both keeping an eye on the black vehicle.

"I don't know which is more boring," Rikku grumbled, "Watching a black van, or staying at home"

Sighing, Iak replied, "You can go. I'll be fine watching by myself"

Snorting, his companion replied, "I'll be just as bored by myself as I would be working with you"

"Well dove, what do you want?" Iak asked, turning his head to look at her

Smiling, Rikku replied, "How about we get jobs?"

Confused, Iak was about to ask what she meant. Seeing her look straight ahead, he followed her gaze to the school.

"You can't possibly mean-"

"Yep," she interrupted, "And besides, it'll allow us to keep an eye on the pilots"

Groaning, the black Aerolan said, "Bad enough that I'm required to teach new Avatars, now I have to teach Japanese middle school students?"

Flying so that their wingtips just brushed against his, Rikku said, "Come on dove, please?"

He made the mistake of turning his head. Although he quickly turned back around, it was too late. Iak saw that Rikku was making puppy dog eyes, and he was trapped.

"Alright," Iak said grudgingly, "but only if there are any positions"

Jumping up and down in the air seemed impossible, but Rikku accomplished that while saying, "Alright! Don't worry, I'll find us positions"

"As long as you don't hurt people," Iak said in a resigned voice.

Gliding over, Rikku brushed her wingtips against his. The gesture was apparently special for the two as they both smiled lovingly at one another.

"Come on, race ya to school" she said while pulling up ahead quickly

Smiling wickedly, Iak quickly took pursuit, while still keeping an eye on the black vehicle below.

* * *

School 

Asuka was frowning slightly while watching Shinji being accosted by many girls. Keevan had a similar problem, but was getting the better deal since none were flirting with him.

Peeking into Shinji's head, the red-head filtered the many thoughts the boy was having. The majority of them seemed to be the repetition of a sentence.

_I mustn't run away. I mustn't run away. I mustn't run away._

She saw that Shinji was uncomfortable, but was willing to listen to the girls, if it means that they will leave all the sooner.

_Spineless baka_, Asuka thought

At the same time, she sighed, as she wasn't ready to tell him yet her feelings. Looking up, Asuka saw that Hikari was looking back towards her. Pointing to her laptop, the rep turned around to face the front of the room. Taking the hint, Asuka opened up her laptop and joined the chat.

Rep: Hey Asuka

RedChamp1: Hey

Rep: What's up? You've been staring at Shinji for a while

RedChamp1: Well, yeah

Rep: Any reason why?

RedChamp1: …

RedChamp1: Can you keep a secret?

Rep: Of course! You're my best friend, but what's this about?

RedChamp1: I think I'm in love

Rep: WHAT!!! Oh Asuka this is great! Who?

RedChamp1: Promise you won't make a scene?

Rep: It's Ikari, isn't it?

RedChamp1: Yes

Rep: I knew this would happen, so for how long?

RedChamp1: Since the last Angel

Rep: Have you told him yet?

RedChamp1: Um, no

Rep: Why not?

RedChamp1: Why haven't you told the stooge yet?

Rep: Hey!

RedChamp1: Same reason, I'm nervous

Rep: Did you talk with anyone else about this?

RedChamp1: Yeah, Rikku

RedChamp1: She suggested that I tell him at the dance

Rep: Do you think I might be able to talk to her about this?

RedChamp1: I'll call and see, but she should be able to

The rest of the day was spent discussing ideas for the upcoming dance. Both girls had a few ideas, and wanted to talk with Rikku or Misato about it.

* * *

That's that. This was a little longer than usual, so I hope you enjoyed it. R&R, and I'll get back as soon as I can 


	23. Preperations

Chapter 23: Preperations

Hello everyone! The date of this submission is December 25, 2006. You know what that means; Christmas! As a way to celebrate, I'm submitting TWO chapters, with the much awaited love scene btw Shinji and Asuka!

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters, and if they bear resemblence to characters in other stories or to real people, it is coincidental.

Now, on with the show!

* * *

Shinji was on clean-up duty, so Asuka and Hikari went ahead to the Avatar home. The pair had arrived outside the door as before. The class rep was still a little frightened by the whole teleportation deal, but she was able to calm herself upon their arrival. 

"Alright, we're here" Asuka proclaimed.

Opening the door, she saw that Iak and Rikku were working on some paperwork.

"Is this how you spell that?" Rikku asked him pointing at something on her paper

Looking over it, Iak squinted a little before saying, "Yes"

Sighing, he put his papers down and looked up, "Welcome back Sohryu-san. Greetings Horaki-san"

"Hello Iak-san, Naori-san" Hikari replied, bowing politely

Smiling, Rikku replied, "I told you, call me Rikku"

"Alright" the brunette said shyly

Setting her bag down, Asuka spied the papers that the Aerolans were working on, "Hey, what's this? A registration form?"

Picking up the papers and shuffling them so they were neater, Iak replied, "It is nothing you need worry about for now. Would you like some tea?"

With that, he went to the kitchen to get the supplies, while Asuka and Hikari joined Rikku on the couch.

Leaning back, the female Aerolan said, "Let me guess. Romance problems too?"

Hikari flushed a little while nodding. Smiling a little, Rikku leaned forward and spoke with her the same sort of things that the Aerolan had told Asuka the night before.

Meanwhile, Iak was about to bring the tea to the table when his cell rang. Flipping it open, he said, "Hello?"

"_You leader, Cairn here with a look at the day's forecast"_

"Just tell me your report" Iak told him brusquely

"_Fine, you can be a real wet towel, ya know?"_

"Whatever"

"_Anyway, we have located and are currently tracking Bardiel"_

"That's good"

"_Not necessarily. Apparently this Angel is not one for patience, because he's heading towards one of the other Evas that are closer to completion"_

Frowning, Iak peeked around the doorway to see that Rikku was keeping the other girls occupied.

"Dedaeh eh si erehw?"

"_Ah, the pilots are there, well then; Aissur rof gnidaeh s'eh. Mih tcerider ot yaw ym no m'I"_

"Detsop em peek, doog"

"_Enod tuoba tsuj si avE ruoy taht wonk ouy llet ot em detnaw Sotiak, haey ho"_

(A/N: To read the above text, read like from Harry Potter book one)

"Whatever," Iak replied as he hung up. Putting away his cell, the black winged Aerolan picked up the tray of tea and brought it to the girls, who were all discussing the upcoming dance.

"You still haven't decided what to dress as?" Asuka was proclaiming in shock

Flushing, Hikari retorted, "I just can't think of something that would suit me"

Rikku was deep in thought as she pondered the brunette's dilemma. Standing up, she began looking at Hikari from different angles. Being scrutinized like this was making the girl feel very nervous.

Snapping her fingers, Rikku said, "I got it, I know who you can go as"

Sipping his tea, Iak looked up and said out of the blue, "Second drawer, fourth cabinet on the left"

Smiling, the other Aerolan skipped down the hall, calling back, "Thanks; wait there you two"

Hikari and Asuka looked at each other in bafflement before turning their gazes on Iak, who only passed them cups of tea. Before they could ask what was going on, Rikku reappeared with a bundle of clothing.

"I'll have to adjust some of these, but they should fit fine" she said, holding a dress up

Taking Hikari and pulling her up, she held a pink dress against her, "You make a great Aeris Gainsborough"

At this time, Asuka was also standing, looking at the bewildered girl, "Yes, that's it! That's perfect"

Having finally regained her voice, Hikari asked, "Do you really think so?"

Both girls nodded and were making voice their encouragement. Smiling now, Hikari took a look at the clothes spread before her.

"It needs some adjustments," Rikku was saying, "We'll need you to try them on. Then we can get to work on your hair"

The girls began to talk excitedly amongst themselves as they headed down the hall to find some privacy for the fittings. Iak sat in the living room and sipped his tea, letting the silence surround him for a few minutes. Putting down his cup, Iak leaned back and sighed in quiet relief.

Just then, the door opened and admitted Keevan and Sai, who called out, "Tadaimas"

"Welcome back"

Seating himself on the couch, Sai grabbed one of the cups of tea, "Wow, service before we even order"

"That's Asuka's cup," he said, nimbly dodging the ensuing spray, "Though she didn't drink from it yet"

Glaring at him, Sai muttered, "Could have told me that earlier"

Keevan giggled a little while pouring himself a fresh cup, "Why do you have three other cups out?"

"Hikari visiting Rikku for love advice, and figuring a costume for the dance" Iak replied in a toneless voice

At that moment, three girls came back down the hall, two of which were very changed. Sai dropped his cup at the sight of Éclair and Aeris Gainsborough. Keevan was momentarily wide-eyed before saying, "Wow. Asuka, Hikari, you look great"

His head whipping first from the boy back to the girls, Sai muttered, "They look so much like them"

"Really?" Hikari said hopefully

She wore a modest pink button up dress that had the lower few unbuttoned with a small, short sleeved red jacket over it. Her hair was undone and re-braided into one big one that had a pink bow tied near the top of her head. It was a little short, but the likeness was striking, especially since Hikari was wearing contacts to make her eyes green.

"Of course," Asuka scoffed, "You look great, and so do I"

Asuka was wearing a very short red dress with slightly puffed shoulders and a skirt length that bordered the fine line of decency. There was an upside down cross cut off the front of the dress, showing her belly button and a modest amount of cleavage. Around her neck was a green choker with pieces of string of the same color flowing from it. She was also wearing black gloves that were so long that they nearly touched her shoulders. Like Hikari, Asuka was also wearing contacts, making the red-head have yellow eyes.

Giving a little leer, Sai said, "That's going to turn more than a few heads"

Not getting the hint, Keevan said, "Yeah, they're going to be extra impressed because they are a very good likeness"

No one wanted to tell the young boy the meaning behind Sai's words, and, with the exception of Iak, turned away with light blushes.

Coughing lightly, Rikku, steering the topic of discussion, said, "Well wait 'till Shinji sees this"

Just then Hikari remembered, "Oh, he's a judge!"

"Me too" Keevan told everyone excitedly

At this, Iak's interest was peaked, "You and Shinji are judges?"

Keevan nodded, "I know what you're thinking," he said in a mature tone that was contrary to his youth face, "and no, I do not have my judgments biased because I got a sneak preview of what someone will wear for the contest"

"That's good to hear," Asuka said, "A contestant should not affect the rulings by biasing the judges. We better get out of these before Shinji gets home"

"I'll hold onto them until this weekend" Rikku suggested

The trio again left for the hallway, leaving Sai to stare curiously at Keevan. Uncomfortable under the stare, the mage fiddled with his tea cup.

"Why are you staring at me?" he asked

Sai answered, "I was wondering if someone had replaced you with a dwarf adult who looks like you"

Frowning, Keevan replied, "Don't make fun of me"

"There we go, that's the boy mage we know" Sai said in a teasing tone

And so, with the boys bickering and the girls gossiping, Iak sighed and went to the roof, hoping for some peace and quiet.

* * *

School 

Shinji was stuck on clean-up duty. Since two students were assigned for each day, he wasn't alone. Unfortunately, he was paired off with a girl who kept on pushing him to vote for her in the costume contest. Her name was Akemi Etsuko, and she thought she was beautiful. Granted, she really was with long silky black hair, bright blue eyes and a well formed figure, but Shinji had no interest in her.

At the moment, Akemi was attempting another advance on him, "Wow Ikari-kun, you've gotten your side so clean. You must be so observant for every detail"

_Considering that I had to clean up after two very messy women, it's no wonder I clean well_, Shinji thought

"I heard that you and Sohryu were living together" the girl was saying

Nodding confirmation, Shinji watched her sigh dramatically, "Oh you poor boy. I can feel your pain, having to live with the demon girl"

"She's not really that bad" he defended

Sniffing, Akemi replied, "Oh really? With the way she treats you, I'm surprised I don't see a leash on you"

Flushing, Shinji was about to retort when he realized that the space between them had gotten smaller. Stepping back, he backed into the wall, where Akemi had him trapped.

"You know," Akemi said in a seductive tone, "I think you deserve someone better"

Gulping, Shinji stuttered, "W-w-what d-do you m-mean?"

She giggled, "You're cute when you're nervous. I didn't think that our hero would be so frightened by little girls"

_I'm not sure if you count_, Shinji thought, for Akemi was well endowed for her age

Leaning against him, Akemi continued, "You don't have a girlfriend, right?"

Shaking his head no, Shinji said, "No"

"Is there someone you like?"

"Well, er"

Interrupting his musings, Akemi then said, "Whoever it is, I know I can be better for you. Let me prove it"

With that she leaned towards him and kissed him on the lips. Shinji was paralyzed with shock as thousands of thoughts ran through his head at once. Unfortunately, his 'brain burst' attracted the attention of a certain red-head.

_Shinji, what's going on?_

_Crap. Asuka wait!_

Too little too late, Asuka took one look in his head and saw that he was kissing Akemi. To his surprise, she didn't yell at him, or call him hentai. Instead, he feels shock and some other emotion he couldn't identify. Before he knew it, Asuka was gone, building a mental wall so thick that it was impossible to even sense her.

Forcefully breaking the kiss, Shinji apologized, "I'm sorry Etsuko-san, but I have to get home"

He then rushed out of the room, leaving a confused girl behind. Running down the halls, Shinji sprinted out the school doors and down the nearest alley. Pulling out his cell, he pushed the warp button and jumped through it as soon as it opened. He didn't notice that he had a watcher, who was watching where his last position was with a slack-jawed look. It was most fortunate that he didn't have his camera on, or he'd have proof of the weirdest thing to ever happen to his friend.

* * *

Avatar base 

Hikari was a little worried for her friend. One moment they were talking, the next Asuka had a dazed look then looked on the verge of tears. Before the brunette could ask what was going on, the red-head had dashed out of the room.

Rikku had gotten up at this point and was going after the girl, with Hikari close behind. They followed Asuka up to the roof, where Iak was holding her limp form.

Hikari was shocked to see that Asuka was crying, "Asuka, what's wrong?"

Rikku took Iak's place, "You better go talk to Shinji"

He nodded as he went down the stairs to the main area of the base.

Hikari kneeled down next to the pair and asked in a gentle tone, "Asuka, what's wrong?"

Looking up with tear stained eyes, Asuka said simply, "Shinji"

Downstairs, Iak had intercepted Shinji, who was asking about Asuka

"Come here and relax, we need to talk"

Leading him to the kitchen, Iak said, "Sai, Keevan, some privacy?"

Both boys got up and went to their respective rooms. Setting a cup of tea before Shinji, he sat down with his own cup.

"How was school?" he asked

Shinji mumbled, "It was fine. Asuka-"

"Thinks you love someone else" Iak finished for him

Jerking his head up, Shinji told Iak, "I don't, I…"

He trailed off, face becoming red. Iak took another sip and gestured for Shinji to try some. Sipping, the teen was surprised at the flavor. Smelling of mints, it somehow conveyed the taste of flowers and a spring day.

"This tea is made with the petals of a Horaz flower, which only blooms once every ten years. It is an exceptional tea and is used in meditations" Iak explained.

Shinji silently agreed as the taste was quite calming. Finishing his cup, Iak looked at the boy and asked, "Do you have feelings for Asuka?"

Shinji nodded, his face nearly as red as Asuka's hair, "Yes, I think I love her"

"As she does you"

His head jerking up, Shinji asked, "Really?"

"You'll have to ask her"

Shinji nodded, so Iak continued, "When she saw you with that other girl, her heart broke. You should go and comfort her; otherwise you're going to hurt her more"

He didn't want to cause pain to the girl that she loved, so Shinji asked, "Where is she?"

"Rooftop, Rikku and Hikari are there as well"

"Thank you," Shinji said while rushing to the stairs that led to the roof.

* * *

At the same time that Shinji was conversing with Iak, Rikku and Hikari were comforting a certain red-head. 

"Come on Asuka," Hikari was saying, "it's not like Shinji would leave you after everything you've been through"

Calm, but still a little teary eyed, Asuka replied, "I guess"

Giving her a pat on the shoulder, Rikku said, "Besides, it may have been just a girl who was trying to win Shinji's vote. Like you said, some girls will do anything to win"

Smiling a little, Asuka looked up to see that Shinji had just arrived on the rooftop. Feeling Rikku stand up, she saw that the Aerolan and Hikari were going to leave her and Shinji alone.

When they had gone, Asuka stood up and faced Shinji, who closed the distance between them, until only a few feet separated them.

"Asuka" Shinji began after a few moments of silence

"Yes?"

"A-are you okay?"

Looking away, Asuka replied, "I saw you kissing Etsuko earlier"

Shinji flushed, "She kissed me, but I don't like her like that"

Looking at her toes, Asuka asked in a small tone most unlike her, "Really?"

Taking the last few steps between them, Shinji tentatively placed a hand on her cheek. Surprised at his boldness, Asuka looked up to see that, although he was blushing heavily, Shinji kept his gaze on her. Smiling, the red-head placed her hand on his.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you Asuka"

"Baka-Shinji," Asuka retorted, feeling like herself, "Grow a spine"

Happy that Asuka was feeling better, Shinji then asked, "I was wondering if you had a date for the dance, and…"

A serious look on her face, Asuka said, "Not really. Since you're judging, you shouldn't be looking for dates"

Looking downtrodden, Shinji said, "Oh, yeah. That's right"

Biting her lip, Asuka took a deep breath. This could be it, she wanted to tell him, but she knew it might bias his judgments at the contest, and wanted it to be fair.

"Maybe after the contest, we could have a dance?"

Looking up, Shinji said, "That'll be nice"

For the moment, the two had perfectly happy faces. The moment, however, was broken by some giggles.

Looking to their right, they saw that they had garnered an audience. Shuri-Shara, Misato, Kaji, Hikari, and Rikku were standing there watching them.

"Oh don't mind us," Misato said in a teasing tone, "Keep going, this is so cute"

Both teens had bright red faces as they realized the position they were in. Grinding her teeth, Asuka held up a fist.

"You better have a first aid kit, because you are all going to need it," she shouted as she started chasing them around the rooftop.

Shinji stood there watching. He was still red faced, but he had a smile on as he watched Asuka running around.

"Good work"

Looking back, Shinji saw that Iak was standing next to him, watching the proceedings as well. The two watched in silent amusement as Asuka continued to chase the teasing group across the rooftop.

* * *

This is it, the next chapter is the moment everyone's been waiting for. Read on, my supporters! 


	24. Love's First Kiss

Chapter 24: Love's First Kiss

Here's the second chapter, the one you've all been waiting for.

Disclaimer: You've read this enough times to now what it's going to say

Now, on with the show!

* * *

It was the day of the dance, and everyone was feeling excited. Hikari went to the Avatar base to get ready for the dance contest. Shinji and Keevan left early because they needed to be told, along with the other judges, what they should be looking for. 

Asuka and Hikari had dressed up and were ready to go, but were told to wait.

"Come on," Asuka frowned, crossing her arms below her breasts, "What's taking so long?"

The answer came fairly quickly as Rikku came up while dragging Iak with her. The two of them had dressed up in costumes; both were dressed as angels, one in black robes, while the other in white robes

Mouth gaping, Asuka asked, "You're not coming too?"

"Of course we are," Rikku told her, "we deserve to have fun too"

Hikari then said, "But, your wings, shouldn't you be hiding them?"

"Who's going to believe that we actually have wings?"

"One touch and they'll know!"

"Come on, we're young, the night's about to start, and I feel the need to party" Rikku proclaimed

"Don't bother," Iak said, "She is as stubborn as four Calforms in a small pond"

Frowning, Rikku was about to retort when she realized the time, "Crap, we're going to be late. Hey Sai, you coming?"

"Hang on, stupid wires"

Sai came out of his room also dressed in a costume. He was moving very stiffly because he was wearing such a thick costume; Sai dressed up as Robo-cop, and was a bit tied up by the wires he used for the equipment in his room.

"This is why I need to go wireless" Sai grumbled as he shook the remaining wires off, "What are we waiting for, let's go"

* * *

School 

Shinji and Keevan were in the gymnasium, where the dance was to be held. It was a large place; with room enough for about two hundred people. There were balloons set up on the twenty or so tables on one side of the room, and a podium/stage set on the other for the contest. In between the tables and stage was a wide area for the people to dance on.

The events of the evening would proceed as such: when the gym opened at six, people would be allowed for last minute entries into the contest. About half an hour after that, the contest would begin and continue for the next hour. The results of the contest come at the end of the dance, about eleven.

The pair was currently talking, separated from the other judges

"I'm feeling a bit nervous about this," Keevan said

He had dressed up as a little Dracula, including a set of fake fangs. Shinji had gone as an anime character; Shinn Asuka in his Zaft uniform from a popular show, Gundam Seed Destiny

"So am I," he told the younger boy, "I'll be glad when this is over"

Keevan looked around as kids began to fill the gym, "I wonder how many people are going to enter?"

The answer soon came clear as the entries were tallied up. There were five groups, and eighteen individuals. No one knew how they would dress as until the actual contest began, which was beginning.

"Come on," Keevan said excitedly

They joined the other three judges on the podium as the principal got up to make a speech. It was a little dry, going on about keeping up hope in the dark hours and being able to enjoy oneself. At last it was over and the competition could begin.

"Aw man," Touji said expectantly, "I wonder if there are any girls in cute costumes"

The jock had come as a samurai warrior, while next to him; Kensuke had dressed up as Sousuke Sagara, from Full Metal Panic. It was a very good costume, spoiled by the camera in his hands and the glasses he wore.

"Yeah" the four-eyed stooge replied in a distracted tone

Sensing something wrong, Touji asked, "Hey what's wrong? It's the contest, there's going to be babes in costumes up there for our viewing pleasure!"

Kensuke, however, wasn't feeling the excitement. He was staring at Shinji, who had just sat down at the judges table. Even though the pilot seemed to be normal, Kensuke couldn't shake the scene he'd seen earlier.

"They're starting!"

The first group up on stage was doing a Fandango theme, where everyone was in a large paper bag with puppet faces on them.

(A/N: This actually happened once; during Halloween, a bunch of kids at my school really dressed up like them, and I thought it was pretty funny)

Keevan was giggling at the people dancing around on stage in paper bags, "That's so funny"

For the next hour, contestants passed in front of the panel of judges, some in groups, and others alone. It was near the end, with only two individuals left.

"And next up is a the class rep of class 2-A, Hikari Horaki, dressed as Aeris Gainsborough from the game, Final Fantasy VII!"

Touji, who had come back from getting something to eat from the buffet, had eyes as big as saucers when he saw the class rep. She stood on the stage dressed up in the pink dress and red jacket looking very nervous. Her shyness seemed to make her appear like her character, while at the same time keeping her individuality. Touji was personally cheering on the rep for the win.

The judges murmured amongst themselves as they marked notes on their score sheets. Shinji finished his quickly and took a look around. He had not seen Asuka this evening, and it worried him. Not only that, but she seemed to have completely blocked him out mentally. He was broken from his thoughts when the principal announced the last contestant.

"Now presenting our last contestant, dressed as Éclair of the anime Kiddy Grade, Asuka Langley Sohryu!"

His head jerking up, Shinji's mouth gaped at the beauty that stood before him. Dressed in an extremely short red dress that was cut to reveal her belly button and a modest amount of cleavage, Asuka walked across the stage like a model. Many of the boys out on the dance floor were drooling over the goddess that walked before them.

When his brain finally caught up, all Shinji could think was, _She's so beautiful_

Asuka heard his thought and suppressed a smile. The contest was over now, and she would have to wait until the end of the dance to find out if she won. In the meantime, she thought she'd keep a promise with a certain someone.

Stepping off the stage, the red-head was about to head over to where Shinji was when she was accosted by a mob of hormone driven boys. She was having a difficult time getting through the crowd, and was very irritated at the way that the boys were hammering for her attention.

"Get out of my way," she growled as she pushed through the mass

She was assisted by Rikku's timely arrival, whom helped her out of the mass. The boys would have followed the pair, except that Iak stood between them, and the look in his eyes told them to step back.

Helping her to a chair, Rikku asked Asuka, "You alright?"

Sighing heavily, the red-head replied, "Yeah. Have you seen Shinji?"

Looking around, the Aerolan replied, "I don't know, Iak?"

Scanning the crowds, the black garbed bird-man replied, "Talking with Keevan near the stage"

"Thanks" Asuka replied

Opening her mind, the red-head brushed against Shinji's consciousness, _Shinji?_

_Asuka? Where are you?_

_I'm with Rikku and Iak by the buffet_

_Why are they here?_

_They said that they wanted a little fun, so they came along. You should be able to see them; they're dressed as 'angels'_

Shinji looked up and saw a set of black wings and a set of white wings.

_Aren't they supposed to be keeping a low profile?_

He could feel the amusement from Asuka as she replied, _I guess, but she insisted_

Smiling, Shinji said, _So, um, what did you want to talk about?_

_Well, since we have a few hours to kill before they announce the winners, I wondered if you were up for a dance_

_S-s-sure_

_Meet me by the side door; I really don't want to march through all these people_

_Alright_

Breaking contact, Asuka got up, "I'm going for a dance"

"Go ahead," Rikku said, "I think we'll go dance as well"

Grabbing Iak's arm, the white robed 'angel' pulled him out onto the dance floor, where the DJ was beginning to put on some music. The pair began to rock with some rock and roll music

Meanwhile, Shinji turned towards his destination and told Keevan, "I gotta go, so I'll talk to you later, ok?"

Waving his hand, Keevan didn't reply as he couldn't hear over the music, but he understood what Shinji meant

Stepping around the crowds, Shinji was accosted yet again by Akemi Etsuko, "Hey Ikari-kun"

Turning, he saw Akemi dressed as Rinoa Heartilly. Remembering how she twirled about on the stage, making people look at her, Shinji wondered if she tried seducing the other judges.

"How are you doing?" she asked

Flushing a little, Shinji replied, "I'm okay"

She giggled as she pulled up next to Shinji, "Hey, how about we have a dance until they announce the winners?"

"I'm sorry, but there's someone I have to meet"

Pouting, Akemi asked, "Aw, can't it wait?"

Before he could answer, the music changed, and along with it Akemi's attitude, "Oh, I love this song! Let's go!"

Grabbing his arm, she dragged him onto the dance floor. Once there, she arranged his arms and brought herself close. She then led Shinji through the dance moves as the music played around them.

"Um, Etsuko-san," Shinji began, "I really have to be somewhere"

Again pouting, she replied, "I'm sure your friend can wait until this song is done"

Feeling Asuka brush against his conscious, Shinji quickly opened up and contacted her.

_Asuka, gomen, but she dragged me out here_

Noting the lack of anger coming from her, Shinji heard, _Stop apologizing baka. I'll wait for you outside_

_O-okay_

Surprised at how calm she was feeling, Shinji looked up to see that the song was done. Pulling himself away as politely as possible, he gave a curt bow to Akemi

"Gomenasai, but I really have to go"

He then walked away before she could say anything. Following the bond between them, Shinji navigated through the throng of dancing and partying kids until he reached the side door. Stepping outside, the closed door effectively muffled the loud music that was coming from inside.

Looking around, he finally caught sight of the person he was to meet. Asuka was out standing next to a tree, waiting for him.

"Gomen, Asuka" Shinji said, scratching the back of his head

"Stop saying that," Asuka said sternly, "you need to grow a spine"

Forcing himself to not say sorry again, Shinji said, "Alright"

Smiling now Asuka extended a hand, "Come on baka, let's go. We still have a few hours till they announce the winners, so let's dance"

Flushing, Shinji accepted the hand and allowed himself to be pulled back into the gym. Inside, they were playing a slow dance, and there were quite a few couples out on the floor. Finding a place, Asuka arranged them properly, with Shinji's left hand on her waist and his right holding her left.

Placing her free hand on Shinji's shoulder, she said, "Relax Shinji, it's a dance, not an execution"

Realizing that his muscles were as stiff as a board, Shinji took her advice and relaxed a little. After a few moments, he found himself enjoying the dance. Smiling, he and Asuka danced to the music, able to forget for the moment the burden they had on their shoulders.

* * *

At the same time, Touji was gathering up the courage to ask Hikari to dance. Looking around, he found her sitting on the sidelines. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward 

Hikari was feeling a little lonely at the moment. Although there were many people who asked her to dance, she declined all offers. She wanted to dance with a certain boy, but was afraid to ask him. Rikku had advised her that she may have to go to that person and ask herself, but Hikari was a traditional girl, which meant that the boy had to ask the girl to dance.

Sighing, Hikari was wondering if she should just leave when he heard someone clearing their throat. She was about to tell the person to go away when she saw that it was Touji.

"H-hey Horaki"

Flushing a little, she replied, "Suzuharu, hi"

Not looking directly at her, Touji stuttered as he asked, "Um, I-I was wondering, i-if you would like t-to have a-a dance w-with me"

Smiling, Hikari stood up and took his hand. Flushing, she replied, "I'd like that"

Sharing red faces, the pair went out to the dance floor and joined in on the dance.

* * *

Kensuke was wandering around, filming the dance on his trusty camera. Everyone was having so much fun that they didn't seem to mind the geek. Doing another sweep of the gym, his gaze was caught by a certain pair. Zooming in, he nearly fell over as he saw that Shinji and Asuka were dancing together. Looking around, Kensuke looked for Touji to tell him the news when he realized that he was dancing with Hikari. Sighing in depression, Kensuke wondered what it would be like for him to be the guy who got the girl.

* * *

Later 

There were quite a few murmurs and rumors flying around at this point. Many people had seen Shinji dancing with both Akemi and Asuka, and were wondering what was going on between them. There were also a few questions about Touji dancing with Hikari. But the talk subsided as the principal and the judges came back up with the results of the contest

"Ahem, we have the results and are now going to announce them," the principal said theatrically

"First up, we have the group category. In third place is the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"

Everyone cheered as four students in green clothes and turtle shells and different colored masks came up on stage.

"In second place, we have the Pirates of the Caribbean!"

Ten people came up on stage, dressed as pirates, as well as Captain Jack Sparrow, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann. There was more applause and cheers as they waved down to the other kids

"And the winner of the group costumes, Shrek!"

Amidst the loud cheering, the people who dressed themselves as the characters from the movie Shrek came up on stage.

"Let's give them a round of applause!"

After that came the winners in the individual categories, males and finally females.

"Oh I can't bear the suspense," Hikari said in an agitated voice

Tilting her head up proudly, Asuka replied, "Don't worry, when you hear him announce that I'm the winner, you can relax and bask in my glory"

This made the brunette feel better, knowing that Asuka was acting like her old confident self.

"In third place, we have Aeris Gainsborough, AKA, Hikari Horaki!"

Hikari was shocked and didn't move until Asuka nudged her, "Go on, get up"

Shyly climbing the steps to the podium, Hikari smiled and waved at the cheering crowd. She joined the other winners as they congratulated her.

Smiling, Asuka was proud of the accomplishment her friend obtained, and it lasted all of four seconds when the principal announced the second place winner.

"In second place, we have our fiery headed Asuka Langley Sohryu as Éclair!"

There was a moment of shocked silence. Everyone in the immediate vicinity of the red-head quickly backed away. It was well known that Asuka was a very competitive girl, who liked to win. They all waited for the explosion that was surely to come. To their surprise, she only smiled as she ascended the stairs to the podium. When the students realized that she wasn't angry, they slowly applauded her.

The principal, having regained the use of his voice, then said, "Er, yes, congratulations. Um, the first place winner of the females' individual category is Akemi Etsuko, as Rinoa Heartilly!"

There was applause as the dark haired girl happily ascended the stairs. At the same time, a few students were making bets on when Asuka would kill Akemi.

Sai, who was near the back of the audience with Iak and Rikku, said, "Ten to one says Akemi doesn't live till tomorrow"

"Five to one says Asuka doesn't kill Akemi"

Looking at Rikku as though she sprouted an extra head, Sai replied, "You kidding? I saw the profile for Asuka; she's going to kill her"

This time, Iak spoke up, "She may not have won the contest, but she got her prize"

At the ambiguity of this statement, the metal clad Avatar demanded, "What's that mean?"

Iak didn't answer, only joined the crowds as they gave one last round of applause to the winners. Looking to Rikku for an answer was also a waste of time, as she was also cheering.

After the applause, the students on the podium had their pictures taken, and went back to the dance floor. The DJ turned the music back on and everyone began to dance again. Asuka got off and looked around for Shinji. Now that the competition was over, she wanted to talk to him. From their mental link, she knew that he was afraid that he was going to get yelled at. Smiling mischievously, Asuka looked around, hoping to find him.

Shinji was near the tables, hoping that Asuka wasn't too angry. He knew that deep down, Asuka wanted to win for the attention she desired. Even so, she was a prideful person, who didn't like losing, and so tended to be very competitive.

_Shinji?_

_Gah! A-Asuka!_

_Quit sounding so surprised. Sheisst, you'd think I wanted to kill you_

_G-gomen_

_That's alright_

Shinji was surprised when she said that. Normally, when he apologized, Asuka would go on about him stopping and growing a spine. This was different, and he sensed some tension and embarrassment coming from her

_Can we talk? Face to face?_

_U-um, sure. Where do you want to talk?_

_Let's go somewhere private. I'll see you outside, okay?_

_O-okay_

The connection closing, Shinji got up, only to be grabbed by Akemi

"I won! Isn't that great?"

Shinji replied, "Um, yeah. Etsuko-san-"

She giggled, interrupting him, "Please, call me Akemi"

"A-alright," Shinji stuttered, his face flushed, "Excuse me, Akemi-san, but I have to go talk with someone"

She pouted, "Aww, I wanted to celebrate my win. Come on Shinji-kun, your friend can wait"

At this, Shinji took a deep breath and steadied himself, "I'm sorry, but I'm not going to make her wait"

"'Her'?" Akemi said in an accusing tone, "You mean Sohryu"

"Yes"

"Worried about her? That's so cute, but you shouldn't worry about that bitch. In fact, it was a good thing that she was brought down a few pegs, it deflated her oversized ego"

At this point, Shinji felt himself grow angry. Akemi was insulting Asuka, and he wasn't going to stand for it.

Just as he was about to retort, Shinji was interrupted when Keevan came up, "Hello Shinji, Etsuko-san"

The girl turned around in slight surprise and looked down to the boy, "Hello Markan-kun"

She looked down and into the crystal ball the mage held. Staring into it, Akemi's eyes drooped as she leaned against Shinji drowsily. Holding her up, Shinji helped her into a chair, where she slumped down in a deep sleep.

Turning back, he saw Keevan put his crystal away and said, "Arigato Keevan-san"

Smiling back, the mage replied, "No problem, Iak told me that she was bothering you and asked for me to help you"

The older boy looked up to see Rikku and Iak. She gave him a wink and a shooing gesture. The black garbed man only nodded

Smiling at them and waving thanks, Shinji took off.

Rejoining the pair, Keevan asked, "Was that alright?"

Iak replied, "As I have said many times, we are not matchmakers"

"Come on dove," Rikku said, "You don't really like the idea of helping people find love?"

"I didn't say that. I was only stating that our job is not a dating service"

Chuckling, Rikku shook her head in amused exasperation as Keevan looked on in slight confusion.

* * *

Outside 

Shinji found Asuka under the same tree as before. Walking up to her, Shinji felt a light breeze, making the air drop a few degrees. Asuka was shivering slightly because she was scantily clad. Taking off his costume's jacket, he placed it around her shoulders.

The red-head turned red as she said, "Thank you"

Shinji also blushed a little as he replied, "No problem. What did you want to talk about?"

She bit her lip a little as she turned her head away. Slightly worried, Shinji looked her in the eyes

"Asuka?"

Feeling the concern emanating both from him and his words, Asuka looked back up at Shinji, "I'm alright"

There was a moment of silence before Asuka spoke up again, this time in a small voice, "I want to apologize"

"Asuka"

"Don't stop. I have to say this first. I'm sorry for hurting you so much, for all the hits, hurtful words, everything"

At this point, her shoulders shook as her eyes filled with tears, "I should never have been so mean to you, but I was afraid of being too close with anyone"

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Asuka looked up to see Shinji with a compassionate look on his face.

"I forgive you"

Seeing the uncomprehending look on her face, Shinji said, "It's alright Asuka, I forgive you"

The tears began to flow again as she leaned against Shinji. At first tentatively, Shinji placed his arms around the crying red-head.

Feeling the warmth of Shinji's embrace, Asuka began to calm down, "Thank you"

Happy to feel that Asuka wasn't feeling so sad anymore, Shinji smiled and held her close. The two shared their warmth as they held each other in silence. After a few moments, Asuka pulled out of the embrace a little and looked Shinji in the face.

"Thank you for being there"

Shinji flushed a little as he replied, "It's no problem Asuka-chan"

Both turned a little red at the –chan honorific. Asuka took a deep breath and calmed her mind; this was the moment she was working up to.

"Shinji, there's something I want to tell you"

Curious, Shinji asked, "What is it?"

"Shinji, I-I wanted t-to tell you t-that I-I, oh mein gott why is this so hard"

Shinji could guess where Asuka was going, and gave her shoulder a light squeeze for support.

"I, I, I l-love you"

After she finally said this, her face was a bright red, and she was feeling butterflies in her stomach. Shinji's hand tilted her face up to his, showing a face of love and care

"Asuka, I love you too"

Heart leaping, the red-head knew that that was the truth, from the emotions coming from the boy. Smiling from joy, Asuka wrapped her arms around the boy and hugged him close. Arms around her waist, Shinji returned the hug.

Feeling his breath on her neck, Asuka turned her head and looked him in the eyes. Blue eyes met blue eyes as they leaned into each other, just as before, coming closer for the kiss. This time, though, there was no interruption, and the pair kissed

The first time they kissed, Asuka had been holding Shinji's nose, making him suffocate, and neither of them could enjoy it. This kiss was different; it was not from boredom, but from true love. And as they kissed, neither noticed that their mental bonds disappear. In effect, it may not have gone at all, as they were bonded by love.

After a few minutes, they pulled away from each other. They still held onto one another as they caught their breaths.

"That was nice"

Shinji nodded his head in agreement; he had enjoyed it as much as Asuka had. They both knew that the spell was broken, but in their souls, they knew that they would always be bonded by love. For the rest of the dance, the two were outside, holding each other lovingly.

* * *

Yeah, finally! They did it! Thanks for reading, R&R and I'll be back with more. Oh, and have a Merry Christmas of '06! 


	25. The Next Day

Chapter 25: The Next Day

A/N: This is a filler, I repeat, this is a filler. Don't expect much in the way of a plot

Disclaimer: Seriously, I do not own NGE. The character in this story are my own though

Prereader: YouarenotasrandomasI

Now, on with the show!

* * *

The dance was over, and Shinji and Asuka were taking a short walk through the park together before they had to go home. They were holding hands as they did so, smiling as they entered the park.

"Did you have as good a time as I did?" Asuka asked rhetorically

"Since I spent most of it with you, it certainly was," Shinji replied

Giggling, Asuka said, "Then we should do stuff like this more often"

Smiling mischievously, Shinji said, "Like this?" and kissed her on the lips

Surprised, the red-head said after they broke the kiss, "Wow"

Running her hand up Shinji's back she asked, "When did you grow a spine?"

Turning slightly red, the boy replied with a smile, "How did you know I didn't?"

They began to tease one another playfully, stopping once in a while to just hold hands and enjoy each other's presence. After a while, Shinji took a glance at his watch and nudged Asuka

"It's getting late," he said, "Misato's going to be worried if we stay out any longer"

Pouting, she replied, "You're right"

Pulling out his cell, Shinji was about to open a portal, when they heard footsteps behind them. Pretending to be dialing a number, Shinji took a glance backwards and saw that Kensuke had come up behind them.

"Kensuke?" Shinji said in confusion, "What are you doing here?"

Pushing his glasses back up his face, the boy replied, "I could ask the same of you"

In an angry tone, Asuka said, "None of your business stooge"

"It is my business when one of my friends is holding hands with the red devil"

Folding her arms, Asuka replied, "You're just jealous that Shinji-kun has a girlfriend and you don't"

Jaw dropping, Kensuke said incredulously, "Girlfriend! Shinji, how could you?!?"

Both Shinji and Asuka were frowning as Kensuke began ranting about how Shinji was being ensorcelled by the daughter of the devil. After about ten minutes in, Asuka turned to Shinji and whispered into his ear.

"Can I get rid of him?"

Shinji replied, "Don't hurt him too much"

She pouted slightly, which didn't change her boyfriend's mind, "Alright"

Cracking her knuckle, which got Kensuke's attention, the red-head told him, "Okay stooge, you have two options. One: you go away and leave us alone. Two…oh forget the options"

The four-eyed stooge gulped as he watched her step closer, pounding one fist into the palm of the other. Not saying anything, Kensuke took off, leaving a trail of dust behind him.

Smiling now, Asuka turned back around and wrapped her arms around Shinji, saying, "Let's go home"

Smiling, Shinji pushed the portal button, allowing the lovers to go home. They entered the room, finding it dark, and walked to their room.

Being the gentleman, he opened the door for Asuka, "After you milady"

"Why thank you good sir" the red-head replied with a little curtsy

Neither of them changed, being tired from both the dance and the emotional dams broken. They gave each other one last kiss goodnight, and dropped down on their respective beds.

Unknown to them, Misato was watching them, a small smile on her face. Silently, she went back to her room, happy for her charges, but also preparing for the morning, where she'll be having a little talk with them.

* * *

Nerv

Commander Ikari was leafing through some documents pertaining to the possible Avatar, Keevan Markan. No information that Section 2 could provide was sufficient evidence that the child was one of the off reality travelers. Sighing, he placed the documents on his desk and stared off, trying to find a logical way to gain proof.

After some thinking, Gendo sat straighter as he went back through the documents. In one of the agent's reports, it was said that the First Child had been in close contact with the child. A plan formulated in his mind, and he placed a few calls in preparations.

* * *

The next day

Sunlight filtering through the window, Asuka woke up and covered her eyes against the glare. Sitting upright, the red-head rubbed her eyes as she yawned, wondering if last night was nothing more than a dream. Looking down, she saw that she was still wearing her costume, and that she was also wearing the jacket from Shinji's costume. Hugging the jacket, Asuka basked in the warmth of the memories from last night.

Shinji's bed was made, and the boy absent. Getting up, Asuka peeked out the door to see that he was coming from the bathroom.

"Ohayo, Asuka-chan" Shinji greeted cheerfully

"Guten Morgen, Shinji-kun"

Giving him a peck on the cheek, Asuka went back into the room and grabbed some fresh clothes

"You may want to share," Shinji warned her as she stepped out of the room, "Rikku's already in there"

"That's alright," she replied, "I want to talk to her anyway"

"So, anything special you want for breakfast?" Shinji asked, "Keevan's sleeping in, so I'm taking over today"

Winking, Asuka replied, "Surprise me"

With that, the red-head headed into the spacious bathroom, where Rikku was beginning to scrub her wings

"Ohayo, Asuka"

"Ohayo, Rikku," she replied as she got undressed

"From your glowing face, and the conversation I overheard, I can guess that things went well last night," Rikku said with a sly smile

Flushing a little, Asuka replied, "It certainly did. I have to thank you for your advice and support"

"You can pay me back by helping me wash my back"

"I thought you only let Iak do that," Asuka said in a teasing tone

"I do, but I kept him busy last night, so he's sleeping it off," Rikku said in a level tone

The blonde was sitting with her back to the red-head, so her smile went unnoticed, but Rikku could hear the stream of spluttering Asuka was giving. Turning around, she saw that the pilot was bright red.

Laughing, Rikku saved her by saying, "I'm only joking. Iak and I aren't like that, yet"

Grabbing a towel, Asuka began to wash herself, still red-faced as she retorted, "Oh really, then what happened last time we left you two alone in here?"

Smiling, Rikku teased, "Why, so you can try it with Shinji?"

"You're as bad as Misato," the red-faced red-head mumbled as the blonde Aerolan laughed

In the kitchen, Shinji was making breakfast, while Iak was at the table sipping tea.

"I want to thank you for your advice," Shinji said to the Aerolan

"It is no problem, so what next?"

A thoughtful expression on his face, the boy replied, "I think I'll take her out, see a movie and have dinner"

Iak nodded his agreement as he sniffed the wonderful aroma from Shinji's cooking, "French toast, interesting"

"Thanks, I thought I should try something new"

"Make sure to cook a lot," Iak said as he poured himself another cup of tea, "We Aerolans eat more than regular humans"

"I know," the boy replied, "I've watched the two of you eat, you could each easily win an eating contest"

Smirking, Iak said in a low tone, "But Rikku could cause a buffet to go out of business by herself"

"I heard that"

Rikku had entered the kitchen and had her hands on her hips as well as a mock stern look on her face

"Ohayo"

"Oh none of that, I head what you said, and if you're implying that I'm fat-"

"I would never," Iak interrupted, "You are the most beautiful woman in existence"

"I may want to argue that point," Shinji said, "I think that Asuka-chan is the loveliest"

"Aw, thanks Shinji-kun"

Asuka had heard his comment and gave him a hug and a kiss. Rikku smiled a little as she sat down next to Iak

"Love does change people," she admitted in a low tone

"It appears so, but if you tell Cupid that I agreed…"

Elbowing him, Rikku replied, "I won't"

A hand on her chin, she then said, "Now, about that comment earlier"

Breakfast was served, and the smells had woken up the remaining residents of the place. First to arrive were the ninja twins, both looking quite exhausted. Soon after, Sai made his way done, and, after piling his plate with food, went to work on his laptop, taking a bite out of his breakfast every once in a while. Coming in last, rubbing his eyes as he yawned, came Keevan, who almost fell asleep again at the table.

Once breakfast was complete, everyone sat around the table, talking about their plans for the day.

"I'm going back to sleep," Keevan said while yawning

Joining the yawn, Shara told everyone, "I'm hitting the hay too"

Sai mumbled something about work, and Iak said, "Rikku and I will be going out"

"Sounds good," Asuka said thoughtfully, "It's such a nice day out; it would be a shame to spend it indoors. How about it Shinji-kun?"

"I'd love to, Asuka-chan"

Just then, Misato and Kaji entered the kitchen, with the former looking surprisingly sober. Good mornings were said, and the pair ate breakfast as they were told what the group would be doing today.

"Sounds interesting," Misato said, "but Shinji and Asuka have synch tests today"

Pouting, the red-head said, "Why today? It's too nice to be stuck underground for hours"

Chuckling, their guardian replied, "What if an Angel attacks?"

"What attack," Keevan said in a groggy tone as he rubbed his eyes, "There won't be one for another month"

At this, Shinji and Asuka turned to their guardian, who sheepishly scratched the back of her head as she said, "Heh, wasn't supposed to let them know"

"Baka Misato," Asuka shouted, "Why the hell didn't you let anyone else know?"

Clearing her throat, Misato replied, "Well, Ritsuko, Kaji, and I were technically the only people who were supposed to know"

"Wait a second," Shinji interrupted with a thoughtful look, "how did you know an Angel is supposed to attack next month?"

The two pilots turned to face the Avatars, most of which weren't looking at them. Well, Sai was too busy on his computer to notice much, Shuri and Shara had already gone back to bed, and Keevan had fallen asleep at the table after he told them when the next Angel was to appear.

"Iak, Rikku," Asuka said in a menacing tone, "What's going on?"

Rikku looked away as she replied, "Guess the cat's out of the bag"

Turning back to the pilots, she told them, "We know when all of the Angels will attack, so we can prepare you for battle against them"

Slamming her fists into the table, Asuka demanded, "Then why the hell didn't you tell us?"

Trying to calm the enraged red-head, Misato said, "Easy, the plans were made a while ago, and we don't have to worry about it. But no one else knows, so we need to make it appear as though it could attack at any time"

Grumbling, Asuka said in a low tone, "I hate these tests"

Patting her shoulder, Shinji told Asuka, "Don't worry; we can spend the rest of the day together after tests are done, see a movie or something"

A sly smile on her face, the red-head replied, "Are you asking me out on a date?"

Flushing, the boy stammered a little before Asuka giggled and said, "I would love to"

The two smiled at each other until Kaji interrupted, "This is nice. Looks like my young ward has found her prince"

Both teens flushed as Misato got up and said in a teasing tone, "We better get going. The sooner we finish the tests, the sooner the two of you can go on your date"

There was some laughter as Shinji and Asuka turned a deep red.

* * *

Nerv

Rei and the Commander were walking through the halls of the spacious complex. The corridors were empty, and silence permeated the air between the two. It wasn't an uncomfortable one either since both of them were accustomed to it.

After a while, the Commander broke the silence by asking Rei a question, "How is school?"

"It is adequate," she replied in a neutral tone

"There have been transfers of students"

"Yes"

"Section 2 has incomplete information on them," he continued, "Do you have anything to add about them?"

The blue-headed girl was silent for a moment before she answered. She knew that she promised Keevan not to tell anyone about her unless the Commander asked. In all logical sense, Gendo did ask, but something in her made her hold back

"They are individuals who have distinct differences," Rei finally answered in her neutral tone

The Commander didn't comment, sure that Rei had said all she had. It never occurred to him that the girl would purposely withhold information from him.

"Very well," he told her, "see if you can find out more about the new students"

"Hai"

They then entered the room where they would be conducting today's synch tests. Asuka and Shinji were already there, dressed in their plug suits as they waited for them.

"About time," the red head said as she crossed her arms, "let's get this over with, I want to get out of here"

"Easy Asuka," Ritsuko told the irritated girl as she sipped her coffee, "We'll begin as soon as Rei changes into her plug suit"

Once Rei did so, the tests went underway. Gendo sat in the control chair as he watched the proceedings. Misato and Ritsuko were by the windows as they watched the kids on the screens. Each had a look of quiet concentration as the techs analyzed the data.

"Both Shinji's and Asuka's scores have risen by about two points," Maya told them after about an hour of quiet.

Checking the screen, the doctor mused for a second before saying, "Decrease depth by four points"

This went on for hours, with many people feeling bored by the quiet

* * *

Somewhere in Tokyo-3

Iak and Rikku were talking with another man in a coffee shop. All of them were wearing formal clothes and were doing an interview.

"So," the man said, "I have read your resumes and I am impressed"

"Thank you sir," Rikku replied in a flattering tone, "Does this mean we get the job?"

Smiling, the man replied, "The two of you get the job. Can you start tomorrow?"

"Of course," Iak replied in a faux cheery tone, "We're ready anytime"

"Good," the man said while getting up, "I'll see you two tomorrow"

Bowing, he left the pair and exited the building. Sighing, Iak turned to face Rikku, who had a triumphant grin on her face

"I knew we'd get it" she said gleefully

Grunting, the other Aerolan said, "Especially since you made everything up on the resumes"

Giggling, she beeped him on the nose and said, "Sometime you have to bend the truth to get what you want"

Arching a brow, Iak recited from memory, "I'm 25 years old, with a Master's degree in high school education, graduated from Todai?"

Sticking her tongue at him, Rikku replied, "Avatar's have to lie a lot during undercover missions"

"Fine," he said in a resigned tone, "We get the jobs. So are we surprising them, or telling them later?"

"Let's give them a surprise"

Now smiling, Iak asked, "Won't they hate us even more?"

"Nothing we can't handle," she replied with a mischievous grin

She giggled as Iak rolled his eyes at her statement

* * *

Nerv

The tests were finally over, and Asuka was in the showers, trying to remove the sticky LCL from her hair. She was humming as she thought of her date with Shinji. This would probably the first real date that she'd had in a long time. All the dates that Hikari had set her up before didn't count because she didn't feel anything with them.

_I wonder what I should wear_, she thought as she poured some shampoo onto her head

Meanwhile, Shinji had finished washing and was waiting outside the women's changing room. He was feeling nervous about going on a date with Asuka, considering that this would be his very first. While standing there thinking, Misato walked up next to him

"Why don't you go in?" she asked with a sly smile, "I'm sure she wouldn't mind"

Turning a bright red, Shinji jumped and stuttered, "M-Misato! D-Don't scare me l-like th-that"

Placing an arm around Shinji's shoulder, she said, "Oh Shinji-kun, you're so cute when you're nervous, but to the point. Do you know what you're going to do?"

Taking a deep breath, he replied, "Just to the movies and dinner after, so don't expect us back till late"

"Sounds clichéd," Misato told him, "but I'm sure she'll love it"

Shinji flushed again when she said that, at the same time that Asuka left the locker room.

"Hey Misato," the red-head said loudly, "What are you trying to do, steal my boyfriend?"

Chuckling, their guardian replied, "Just talking. Do you need a ride?"

"If it's not too much trouble," Shinji asked politely

Misato then walked down the hall, with Shinji and Asuka following behind her, hands interlaced with each other.

* * *

There we go, another chapter down. R&R and I'll get back as soon as possible


	26. The Date

Chapter 26: The Date

Alright, here's the next chapter, a bit longer than the others, so appreciate it.

Disclaimer: I don't own NGE for the twenty-sixth time, and also for the twenty-sixth time, all original characters belong to me

Preread by YouarenotasrandomasI

Now, on with the show!

* * *

US Nerv

Lying on his back and looking at the night sky, Lieutenant Colonel Hunter wondered why he was here. Sure, it was his mission to delay the Thirteenth's attack, and sure he had his duties since he had become an Avatar. But that wasn't what he was thinking about.

Right now, about a dozen men geared up in full combat gear were sneaking up on the 'unsuspecting' man. None of them knew the implications of attempting to catch Hunter by surprise.

_How did I get myself into this?_ Hunter thought to himself

* * *

Flashback

"What?"

Hunter was sitting by the campfire as Cairn was laying out a plan for helping them to dissuade the agents from continuing trying to catch them.

"Yeah, that's the plan" Cairn was telling him with a smile.

Nodding his head, Hunter then recited what the dark man had gotten through telling him, "So, the agents have become more persistent on trying to find us"

Cairn nodded, so the military man continued, "And they are getting closer, so we need to dissuade them from continuing"

Again the dark man nodded

"So to do so you came up with a plan that involves me and has a low chance of working"

A pause before Hunter then said, "I don't think so"

In a pleading tone, Cairn replied, "Come on, it'll be fun"

"Fun for you, maybe," Hunter retorted, "I don't see how fun it would be for me"

Smiling, Cairn held up a piece of paper and told him, "It will be, but in any case, you owe me one"

"Is that what I think it is?" Hunter asked in a wary tone

"Yep, and if you recall, you do owe me for that favor I did for you back in Antilon Prime," Cairn said in a sly tone

Sighing in a resigned tone, the military man said, "Fine, since I do owe you, I'll do it"

Smiling broadly, Cairn folded up the paper and put it away before saying, "We begin at once"

* * *

Present

The leader of the team pulled out a radio and spoke into it, "Control, we have the target in sight, over"

"_Roger that, proceed with caution, over"_

"Understood, over"

Putting the device away, he held up a fist and everyone else stopped. Surveying the land in front of him, he confirmed that the Avatar was lying on his back, staring off into space.

_This is too easy_, the man thought,_ there has to be something up_

Gesturing, the leader had the team separate into two groups and move to flank the man lying on the ground. Once in position, he pulled out his rifle and aimed it at the man

With a sudden burst of speed, Hunter flipped onto his feet and ran straight towards him. Before the leader could react, he was knocked off his feet and fell. The man expected to hit the ground, but he was falling continuously. Looking around, he found himself floating in darkness.

"Hey," he called out, "Hello!"

Meanwhile, Hunter had knocked the leader into the black hole that Cairn created, and was now holding a facsimile replica of the man in his arms.

"Nobody move or he dies," Hunter called out to the rest of the team, holding the man's gun to the fake's head

The fake held up his hand and told the team, "Don't listen, take him out"

"Quiet," Hunter told him before slamming the butt of the gun into his head, knocking the fake unconscious

Holding his gun at the fake's head, he then told the rest of the team, "Lay down your weapons, and back away"

Slowly and grudgingly, the team did as he said and stepped away from their weapons. Once they did so, Hunter began to walk backwards, continuing to hold the unconscious 'man' in his arms.

"Cease pursuit of us, or else he dies," Hunter commanded as he disappeared into a vortex that appeared behind him

Appearing back at camp, Hunter dumped the body on the ground by the campfire before sitting down. Kaitos stepped up, leaning on his crutch, and poked the body

"Is he dead?"

"No," Cairn said as he snapped his fingers

The figure turned completely black before disappearing into the shadows. Smirking, the dark man stepped up and placed his hands on his hips

"It worked"

Rolling his eyes, Hunter told Cairn, "The first part. Now we have to see if the agents will actually listen and stay away"

"Phht, it'll work," Cairn said, waving his hands dismissively, "Since when have any of my plans failed?"

"Do you really want to know?" Hunter asked in a flat tone

But Cairn wasn't listening as he had begun to hum as he reached to the side and had his arm disappear into a black hole that appeared in the air. Pulling it back, he held the real leader by the scruff of his neck as he dragged him into the camp

Groaning, the man rubbed his eyes to clear the glare from the campfire after spending time in the dark, "Where am I?"

"Welcome to our camp," the dark man told him in a cheerful tone, "Please make yourself at home, because you ain't leaving for a while"

* * *

Tokyo-3

Misato had dropped them off before leaving, saying she had something to do. The complex was quiet, whether from slumbering Avatars or for some other reason.

"You can go and change first," Asuka said to Shinji, "I need more time to get ready. Now, when you're done, wait out here, and no peeking, understand?"

Shinji nodded, receiving a smile from the red-head, "Now get going"

In their room, the boy looked through the clothes he had, for the first time wondering why he didn't have anything besides his school uniform. Shinji was about to go and see if Sai might have something he could wear when he noticed a bag sticking out from under his bed. Pulling it out, he saw a note taped to it

It read:

_Shinji_

_I figured you might need something like this. You do not have to worry about having to pay me back._

_ Iak_

Smiling, Shinji silently thanked his new found friend and opened the bag. He was mildly surprised by what he found. Iak rarely cared about fashion, saying that most clothes people approve of would restrict his movements. Most of the time, the Aerolan wore loose black clothes.

In the bag was a pair of blue jeans, a white dress shirt with a darker blue vest to go over it. Completing the ensemble was a light black jacket. Somehow, Shinji knew that something was going to black.

Quickly changing, Shinji took a moment to look at himself in the mirror, actually feeling impressed by his image.

"What's taking so long?"

Shinji opened the door to see a surprised Asuka. Looking him up and down, she nodded in acceptance.

"Glad to see that you actually have something nice to wear," she said, "And it matches your eyes"

Flushing, Shinji replied, "Thanks"

"Now be a good boy and wait in the living room," Asuka told him, pushing the boy out of the doorway.

Shinji made sure to grab his wallet before being pushed out. He didn't have much money, so he hoped that Asuka wouldn't expect much from him. Sitting on the couch, he saw an envelope on the table with his name on it. Opening it, he found a bunch of bills in it. Shinji's eyes widened at the amount before he saw the note that was in the envelope as well

_Shinji_

_Just in case_

_ Iak_

By now Shinji was feeling quite curious. He'd heard the argument many times between him and Rikku about them not being matchmakers, so why was he being so helpful now?

Deciding to ask him later when he was home, Shinji put the money into his pocket and waited. The clock denoted the time to being a little after four in the evening. Synch testing always take so long, but it was still a bit early. Spying a movies listing, Shinji took a quick peek, sure that Iak was once again helping him from the shadows.

A couple of movies caught his eye, and knowing Asuka's preferences, helped him make his decision. Just as he put the magazine down, Asuka stepped into the living room.

His jaw dropped at the sight of the beauty before him. The red-head was wearing a red full length sleeveless dress that contoured to her curves perfectly. It hinted at what lay underneath, yet retained its modesty. Her shoulders were bare, and a small dip in the front showed a small amount of the red-head's cleavage.

"Asuka-chan," Shinji said with a slightly dazed look, "you are the most beautiful woman in existence"

Flushing lightly, Asuka gave him a big smile and pulled the star struck boy to his feet, "Come on baka let's get going"

* * *

Tokyo-3

Touji and Hikari were walking through the city, casually talking to each other. Ever since the dance, the two of them were becoming closer. Hikari would bring him lunches, saying that she'd made too much, and Touji would take it in stride. In return, the jock spent a lot more time with her. They had not yet made known their feelings for each other, but it seemed only a matter of time.

"Hey, wanna get some ice cream?" Touji asked when an ice cream stand appeared

Only a little red, Hikari replied, "Sure"

In a surprise move, the jock paid for both their treats. They continued on their way, eating their frozen dairy treats, when the brunette spotted her friend across the street.

"Look," she said, pointing, "It's Asuka"

"I wonder what the red devil's up to all dressed up like that"

Slapping his shoulder, Hikari told him off, "Don't call her that"

Sheepishly scratching the back of his head, Touji muttered a little before he saw that Shinji was walking next to the red-head

"Hey, that's Shinji with her"

Both teens looked and saw that both were dressed nicely and holding hands. Only one thought passed through their minds, and it was the exact same thing. Shinji and Asuka were now officially a couple.

On the other side of the street, Shinji and Asuka were conversing. The topic varied from school to Nerv to other things.

During a pause, Asuka asked, "So what movie are we going to see?"

"Something new," Shinji replied, "just came out: _Last Memoirs_"

"Sounds interesting"

Once at the theater, Shinji not only purchased the tickets, but some popcorn and soda as well. Surprised by the boy's generousness, Asuka decided to be nice and helped him carry the snacks and picking out some seats.

There were very few people within the theater, so it was almost as though they had the entire place to themselves. Settling themselves, the theater darkened and a few previews played. Leaning her head on Shinji's shoulder, Asuka gave him a small smile.

Smiling back, Shinji held a bag of popcorn before her and asked, "Would you like some?"

Taking a few, the red-head replied, "Thanks"

That was the extent of the words they said to each other, and they sat in silence watching the movie. Sometime during the movie, the boy felt something warm on his hand. Without looking, Shinji knew that the hand belonged to Asuka, and squeezed it gently, much to the girl's happiness

* * *

Elsewhere

Sai was looking through an electronics store, and had convinced Keevan and Shuri to accompany him and help carry the stuff he bought

"Hey, Sai-san," the ninja strained carrying a box of motherboards, "are we done yet?"

"Hang on," the tech said absentmindedly, "there's one more thing I need to get"

Groaning, Keevan shifted the bag of chips and cables he had and whined, "Come on, you said that ten minutes ago. You have enough already, so let's go"

Sai shifted the hard drives and processors he carried and gauged the amount he and the others could carry. Shrugging, the tech led them to the checkout counter, letting the pair heave sighs of relief.

Leaving the shop, all three staggered slightly under the burden of several big boxes. Exiting last, Keevan couldn't see where he was going so well and bumped into something, causing him to lose balance and drop what he was carrying.

"Gomen," the mage said frantically as he picked up what he dropped

"Hey," Sai said in a sour tone, "careful, some of this stuff if fragile"

"I will recompense for any broken parts"

All three turned to see that the person that Keevan bumped into was Rei Ayanami. The blue haired girl was standing there, in her school uniform as always, looking at them.

"Um, that's okay," the tech said in a slightly uneven tone, "you don't have to"

Keevan had gathered everything again and was teetering around, "Gomen, we can go now"

Just then, he tilted over and was about to fall over. What saved the boy from toppling was Rei, who grabbed him before he fell.

"Arigato," Keevan said as he stood back up

The blue-haired teen then said, "If that is too much, why do you carry it?"

Shuri turned to the technician, saying, "Yeah Sai, if you hadn't noticed, we are all carrying more than the recommended weight capacity"

"If it's too much, we can drop them off through a portal"

The streets were packed, and the nearby alleys were cluttered with trash. Because of that, the trio had to haul their stuff further than anticipated. After a few blocks, the boys were tired from carrying so much and sweating under the hot sun.

"Are we there yet," Keevan whined as he tipped over slightly

"Hang on, there's an alley up ahead," Sai called back reassuringly

When they reached the alley, they found that it too was full of trash, causing Shuri to groan, "Come on, the one day the trash men don't come had to be today"

The mage almost fell over again, but was again saved by Rei, who also took a few boxes from him

"Domo arigato Ayanami-san," the mage said with a sigh

Groaning, the ninja shouted, "That's it, if there isn't a way in, do something else!"

Shifting the boxes, Keevan pulled out his wand and cast an illusion around them. As soon as they were hidden, Sai opened a vortex using a cell phone like the ones given to the Nerv personnel.

"Alright, every one through," the tech said, waving them through

All four of them stepped through, appearing inside the living room.

"You can put that box over there Ayanami-san," Sai told the blue-haired girl who followed them, "I'll take care of everything later"

Setting the box where he directed, Rei looked around to see that Keevan had collapsed on the couch and Shuri had fallen where he stood

"I am never shopping with you ever again," Shuri said fervently

Ignoring him, Sai began taking a few boxes into his room. Looking around, Rei saw that Keevan was getting up.

"I'll make some tea," the boy said raggedly, "anything special you'd like?"

"Whatever," the ninja said tiredly from his position on the floor

In the kitchen, Keevan set up the stuff for making tea. In his weary state, the mage didn't really pay much attention and poured some hot water on his arm. Shouting, he flailed a little before he felt someone grab him and take him to the sink. Keevan felt cold water fall on his arm as the same person held him.

Wiping the tears from his eyes, he looked around to see that Rei was the one holding his arm

"Ayanami-san?"

"You will need to hold that under the water for a little while," she said in a monotonous tone, "Pilot Ikari told me that when I burned myself"

"Oh"

The two of them stayed in that position for a couple of minutes. By that point, Keevan's arm was feeling numb and he was feeling a little uncomfortable by the position Rei was holding him

"Um, Ayanami-san, you can let me go now"

"Is your arm better?"

Flushing lightly as he noticed where his elbow was poking, Keevan replied, "Yes"

She finally let go of him, and went to the tea making supplies, "I will help finish making the tea"

"A-Arigato," Keevan muttered as he watched her clean up the mess he made.

* * *

Theater

Shinji and Asuka walked out of the building after the movie finished holding hands. The sun was beginning to set, and when Shinji checked his watch, he saw that it was around five thirty. It was still a little early for dinner, so the boy suggested a little walk through the park.

As they passed through the park, the red-head leaned her head against Shinji's shoulder and said, "The movie was nice"

"Was it? I was too busy paying attention to your incredible beauty"

Giggling, Asuka replied, "Flattery, Shinji? Your spine must be having a real growth spurt"

Wrapping his arm around her waist, he held her close, "It's the truth"

After going through the park, Shinji let Asuka choose which restaurant they went to. They soon found themselves in front of a real fancy building.

"Looks pretty big," he commented

The red-head was feeling a bit guilty about having Shinji pay for something so expensive, "We don't have to eat here"

Looking at her, the boy told her, "You chose this restaurant, and so we'll eat here"

Biting her lip, Asuka said, "We don't have that much money, and anyway you already did so much"

"Don't worry," Shinji said, squeezing her gently, "Whatever my lady wants, she gets"

Without another word, he led her into the building where they met a man at reception. He looked down his nose at the young teens before he cleared his throat

"Do you have a reservation?"

Shinji replied, "No"

"Then I am going to have to ask you kids to leave. No reservation, no service"

Reaching into her purse, Asuka pulled out her Nerv ID and showed it to him. The man took a quick peek and was about to retort when he really focused on it. He gulped as he returned the card to the red-head

"Wait here one second"

When he left, Asuka turned to Shinji and winked saying, "I can't let you do everything, now can I?"

Grinning, the two took seats as they waited for the man to return. They didn't have to wait long, as he came back and led them to their table. Seated, he told them that someone would be coming by later to take their order

Smiling, Asuka asked, "Do you think we can get away with not paying for dinner?"

"That wouldn't be nice Asuka-chan"

Pouting, she replied, "Party-pooper"

Chuckling lightly, Shinji told her, "Don't pout; you're too beautiful for that"

Smiling now, she tossed her hair and proclaimed, "Of course I am, and you should be grateful to be in the graceful presence of such a woman"

The two continued to talk until a waiter arrived at their table, "Good evening, my name is Hanatarou, and I will be your waiter this evening. Have you made your decisions yet?"

"Yeah, I'll have the steak, well-done, with a salad" Asuka told him after taking a cursory glance at the menu

"I'll have the lobster with some rice"

Writing it down in his notepad, the waiter then asked, "Anything to drink?"

"Just some water for both of us," Asuka told him

After he left, Shinji felt Asuka take his hand. Squeezing gently, he turned to look into the red-head's eyes. They made small talk as they sat there waiting for their meal to arrive.

When their meals came in, they let go of each other to eat, but didn't stop talking.

"And did you know what Hikari says she likes most about that stooge?" Asuka was telling Shinji, "His sensitive side"

Chuckling, he replied, "Well, he does care about his little sister, so I guess that means that he does have some compassion"

Snorting, Asuka retorted, "I guess, but that doesn't change the fact that he's a stooge"

Smiling, the boy told her, "Who's dating one of the stooges now?"

Mock frowning, Asuka replied, "Oh yeah, I guess that this will be our last date"

Shinji began stuttering and apologizing, which caused Asuka to laugh. Realizing that she was joking, he joined her.

"You're too easy," the red-head told him in between giggles

Smiling, the boy replied, "Okay, I get it"

When the bill came, he was able to convince Asuka that he can pay for dinner. He knew that the red-head's eyes were bulging at the amount of money he had in his wallet, and wanted to know where he got it from. When they left the restaurant, the sun had fallen and the street lights were coming on.

"So," the red-head began, "mind telling me where you got that money?"

In a teasing tone, Shinji replied, "Why do you want to know?"

Putting on a pout, she batted her eyelashes and begged in her sweetest tone, "Please tell me Shin-kun"

Heart racing, he, like any man, crumbled before the combination of a cute pout, sweet tone, and the puppy dong eyes, "Iak lent me the money and the clothes"

Surprised, Asuka had a thoughtful expression on her face, "I heard him always complaining about the other's going on about the whole matchmaking business"

Shrugging, the red-head then said, "Oh well, either way, we have him to thank for today"

Hugging Shinji's arm, she laid her head on his shoulder as they took a walk. At the park, they sat on a bench and talked a little.

"This has been a great date," Asuka told him, "and you have been the perfect date"

"Anything for my princess"

Smirking, the red-head leaned forward and gave him a kiss. She was pleased when Shinji responded and placed his hands on her lower back and pulled her closer. The two stayed like that for some time, breaking off in order to breath.

"You're getting better, this is a big improvement over our first time," Asuka told Shinji

A wry look on his face, he replied, "Only because I was afraid of you and that you were holding my nose"

The two of them had a good laugh at that, with Asuka saying, "Hey, I was bored!"

Calming down, Asuka resumed her position of resting her head on Shinji's shoulder. She felt Shinji gently stroking her hair and sighed contentedly.

"That feels nice"

Shinji smiled, and continued to stroke her hair gently. It seemed like they were only there for a few minutes when he took a peek at his watch and saw that it was about ten past eleven

"Um, Asuka-chan"

"Hmm?"

Gesturing to his watch, Shinji told her, "It's really late, Misato-san will be worried about us, and we have school tomorrow"

Pouting, the red-head grumbled a little as she stood up. She stretched a little before she let Shinji lead her. They were looking for someplace that they could open a portal. In the process, they passed by a couple of rough looking punks.

Whistling, one of them called out to Asuka, "Hey babe, how about ditching the boy and hanging out with a real man?"

Holding her chin up, she just ignored them, which got the man pissed. Reaching out, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Before he knew it, he was on his knees, holding his gut.

"Keep your hands off her," Shinji said in a menacing tone

Momentarily surprised by the boy's sudden aggression, Asuka took his arm and said, "It's alright, I'll take care of the rest"

With that, she slammed her foot into the man's groin, causing him to give a high pitched groan before he passed out from pain. His friend backed away fearfully before running away.

Smiling now, Asuka turned around and grabbed Shinji's arm, "Let's go now, I'm feeling a little tired"

They found a secluded spot that was dark and far from prying eyes. Before Shinji could open a portal, Asuka stopped him

"Before we head home, where Misato and the others would probably be watching, I wanted to thank you for tonight and for standing up for me"

Wrapping his arms around Asuka's waist, Shinji hugged her and said, "It was no problem Asuka-chan"

Snuggling close, the red-head sighed in content as he held her close. Looking up, she stared into Shinji's eyes, and saw the love and compassion in them. Leaning down, he boldly gave Asuka a kiss. Surprised, she leaned closer, deepening the kiss.

Pulling back, she told him, "Let's go"

* * *

Avatar Base

When the pair entered the apartment, they saw that Misato was awake, waiting for them. They were worried that she might be mad at them for staying out so late, but they were calmed by the smile she had on her face.

"Had a good time?"

Both shrugged and told their curious guardian, "It was alright"

Smirking, Misato asked, "Any reason you two were out so late?"

"Nope"

"Alright, I trust the two of you, but we are going to talk tomorrow after you get back from school, and I mean talk"

Both gulped, knowing what talk she wanted. Shinji stammered good night as Asuka marched him to their room. Inside their room, they both changed, being comfortable since they've been in each other's bodies. Once changed, they made ready for bed

"Gute Nacht, Shinji-kun," Asuka said, kissing Shinji

"Oyasuminasai, Asuka-chan. Aisheteru"

"Aisheteru," she replied as she closed her eyes, falling asleep

* * *

Foreign Language Guide:

_Gute Nacht_: German for 'good night'

_Oyasuminasai_: Japanese for 'good night'

_Aisheteru_: Japanese for 'I love you'

* * *

I hope the guide above helps for those who don't understand German or Japanese. Anyway, there you go, hope you enjoyed the chapter. R&R and I'll get back as soon as possible 


	27. Classes and Life's Little Lessons

Chapter 27: Classes and Life's Little Lessons

Hello again, and welcome back to Deviance from the Norm!!

Disclaimer: Say it with me: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. All OC's are mine though, and any similarities to real people or characters of other stories is coincidental

Preread by YouarenotasrandomasI

* * *

The Next Morning

Shinji and Asuka were walking to school, holding hands and talking. When they reached the gates, they found that Kensuke, Touji, and Hikari were waiting for them.

"Stooges," Asuka said to the boys, "Ohayo Hikari-chan, how are you?"

Smiling back, the brunette replied, "Ohayo Asuka, I'm alright"

Meanwhile, Touji smacked Shinji in the back, saying, "Congratulations Shinji, I would never have thought that you would have the courage to ask the red devil out on a date"

"Um, thanks," the boy replied, "But I would appreciate it if you didn't call her that"

Kensuke only said gruffly, "I still can't believe that you're dating the evilest girl in the school"

"What was that?"

Grinding her fist into his head, Asuka asked the four-eyed stooge again, "What did you say I was?"

"N-n-nothing!" Kensuke cried in pain

Releasing him, the red-head hugged Shinji and told him, "You must be jealous because you don't have a girlfriend"

Snorting, the single stooge replied, "Like I'd want a demonic girl or the rep for a girlfriend"

"Ohayo"

They all turned to see that Sai had arrived, "You gonna stand there all day, or you coming in?"

Hikari dragged Touji into the building with a depressed Kensuke following. Just as Shinji and Asuka were about to follow, Sai pulled them to the side.

"Hey," the tech told them in a low tone, "Not to worry you two, but Iak and Rikku have gotten jobs here"

Shocked, Asuka demanded, "What the hell are they doing getting _jobs_ here?"

Shrugging, Sai headed for the school, telling them, "I don't know, but you might want to hurry. They start today"

* * *

Class 2-A

The class was buzzing with rumors about the new history teacher they were to have. Half of them believed that it would be another old geezer, but there were a few hopeful for some younger woman. Shinji and Asuka on the other hand were wondering which of the two Aerolans would be their teachers. The answer came as the door slid open.

There's always a class clown, one who attempts to humiliate every teacher in the school. In this case, the boy had set an eraser on top of the door, which would fall and land on the first person to open the door.

As the door opened, the eraser fell and landed on a mop of black hair, much to Asuka's and Shinji's surprise. Patting his head where the eraser had landed, Iak looked more like a slacker goofball than his normal stoic self. He wore semi-casual clothes, and his long hair looked as though he just got up from bed and was sticking all over the place. The scar on his face was missing, and he had contacts that gave him green eyes.

"Oh, that's original," he muttered, dusting himself off, "but that's to be expected"

Stepping behind the podium, he cleared his throat and said, "Ohayo, my name is Tsubasa Ryuu, and I will be your new history teacher. First off, I would like all of you to know that I am not teaching Pre- or Post-Second Impact crap"

The students began muttering amongst themselves. Half of them were glad to finally get to hear something other than constant dribble of Second Impact, the other half groaned at the prospect of actually having to work.

"So," he said, getting everyone's attention again, "We'll begin with Western history"

After that, the class listened attentively as he began to tell them about how the western civilization began around Mesopotamia. They took notes a few times, but listened more often than not. For the first time, there was something interesting to learn.

When the bell rang, ending the period, Iak/Tsubasa told them, "Homework will be to read pages twenty to forty of the textbooks that you obviously have used as pillows more often than not"

When he left the classroom, Shinji and Asuka followed him, catching him at the next corner.

Turning to them, he asked in his relaxed demeanor, "Greetings, how may I help you?"

"Ano," Shinji began, "Iak-san?"

"Hai," Iak replied, reverting to his normal self, "I know, why am I here?"

Hands on her hips, Asuka demanded, "Well, are you going to tell us?"

"My fault"

Turning around, they saw that Rikku had appeared behind them, "You see, I convinced him for us to get jobs here"

Both teens stared at her, both surprised that the person in front of them was the blonde Aerolan they knew. She had dyed her hair, so she now had brown hair. On top of that, she was also wearing contacts, giving her brown eyes.

"Now that you know, here's something else for you to know," leaning towards them, Rikku told them, "I'm your new English teacher, and I think that class will be quite 'interesting'"

With that, she told them to get back to class before the bell rang. The pair I.M'ed, trying to determine what Rikku meant with her ambiguous words. Two periods later, Shinji and Asuka found out what she meant by 'interesting'. Since Shinji was dating Asuka, and they knew that Rikku and Iak was a couple, they didn't really realize that the boys would be falling head over heels for the Aerolan. Almost as soon as she came in, nearly all the boys were drooling over her, with Shinji and Touji being the only males unaffected.

(For any sections that involves Rikku and an English class, italics will mean that they are speaking another language, mostly English)

"_Good morning class_," she said in English, "I am your new English teacher, Tsubame Ume, _and it's nice to meet you all_"

The boys drooled as they dreamily watched her begin her lesson. Truthfully, only the female half of class, as well as Shinji and Touji, were actually trying to learn anything. Near the end of class, Rikku/Tsubame made an announcement, which crushed the hopes and dreams of the male populace

"Okay class, that's it for today. Oh and boys, I'm already taken"

There were a few boys who nearly cried at her revelation, which caused her to roll her eyes in exasperation, "_Hormones_. For homework class, read and translate the first five pages of chapter 4"

Asuka couldn't help herself, she was laughing at the distraught looks on the boys' faces. Giving the teacher thumbs up, the red-head got up and dragged Shinji out for lunch. On the rooftop, Asuka was able to really laugh out loud

"Ha ha ha, did you see the look their faces," she said between bouts of mirth, "they all are such hentai bakas!"

Smiling along with her, Shinji told her, "It's probably not nice to make fun of them"

"Please, if those boys used their brains they would have known she was way older than them"

At this, he put on a thoughtful look, "Hey, how old are they anyway? Normally Iak and Rikku seem to be our age, yet here they seem like their in the twenties"

Taken aback at this thought, the red-head replied, "I don't know, but maybe we could find out," smiling, she continued, "Give them a birthday party or something"

Shinji then realized something, "Hey, Asuka-chan, isn't your birthday in two days or something?"

"Sheisst, I almost forgot!"

"How could you forget your own birthday?" he teased gently

Seeing the saddened look on her face, Shinji instantly regretted saying anything. Placing his hand on her shoulder, he was pulled into a hug by the red-head.

"Gomen," Shinji said, "I didn't mean to-"

Shaking her head, Asuka buried her head into the crook of his neck and replied, "Don't worry Shinji, you didn't know"

Patting her back, he asked, "What's wrong then?"

"I've never had a real birthday, not since my mother died," she said, a few tears in her eyes

"Then I'll give you one"

Looking up at Shinji, Asuka looked inquisitively as she asked, "What?"

Smiling, he repeated, "I'll give you a real birthday then"

Shocked, Asuka replied, "You don't have to Shinji-kun, it's not a big deal"

Shaking his head, Shinji contradicted her, "It is, and I want to"

Smiling now, the red-head hugged him tightly, saying, "You're the greatest Shinji-kun, you know that?"

"Not as great as you, Asuka-chan," he replied, running his hand through her hair gently

Down in the trees, Shara made gagging noises as she listened to the sweet talk going on above her. Shaking his head in exasperation, Shuri tapped her on the shoulder.

"Sister, stop," he admonished, "What they talk about isn't something you should make fun of"

"Blah blah," Shara mocked, moving her hands in a puppet talking way, "I can do whatever I want"

Sighing, he rubbed his head as a small spike of pain laced through his head, "Whatever, just, keep it down, my head hurts"

The concerned look on Shara's face was alien to her personality, "Headaches?"

Nodding, the ninja accepted the aspirins that she gave him and downed them, "I guess I need some more sleep, otherwise this headache wouldn't be a problem"

Now the kunoichi was sighing, "Geez Nee-san, you really can't do anything without me"

* * *

Throughout the day, the number of rumors concerning Shinji and Asuka had increased two-fold. Many could see that they were a couple, but they weren't convinced that they were. The blazingly hot-tempered red-head had dated and dumped many boys on the first date, so what made the quiet and shy Shinji different? There were many questions directed towards them, mostly to the boy, due to many people being afraid to talk with the 'red devil'.

By the end of the day, Asuka decided that enough was enough. Grabbing Shinji and dragging him with her to the front of the class, and wrapped her arms around him.

"That's enough with the stupid questions," she announced, "I am the official girlfriend of Shinji, and here's the proof"

With that, she kissed Shinji in front of the entire class. Quite a few boys fell out of their seats, and nearly everyone's jaws dropped. Pulling apart, Asuka smirked at the shocked looks on everyone's faces. They resumed their seats, Shinji feeling very embarrassed about what Asuka did in front of the whole class

Everyone was muttering and pointing at Shinji and Asuka as the pair passed by at the end of the day. Although Shinji was feeling uncomfortable at all the attention that they were garnering, he followed his girlfriend's example and tried to ignore them. They left the building with everyone staring and pointing at them

"Don't worry Shinji-kun," Asuka told him, resting her head on his shoulder, "They'll point and spread rumors, but it'll die down after awhile"

Smiling at the girl next to him, Shinji replied, "Thanks for the advice; I'm just not quite used to getting so much attention"

Squeezing him, she said, "I thought you grew a spine"

"I did," he replied indignantly, "I'm just not used to this sort of thing yet"

Closing her eyes, Asuka told him, "Don't worry, I'll be there to help. So, what are you planning for my birthday?"

Smiling, Shinji said, "I have a few ideas"

Despite her pleas and even the puppy dog eyes, the red-head was unable to get Shinji to tell her his plans. Deciding to just let him have his surprise, Asuka quieted and laid her head on his shoulder as they headed home.

In front of the door, they gulped, remembering that Misato promised them the 'talk' once they return from school. Upon entering, they saw that she was sitting on the couch with a mischievous grin on her face.

"Hello you two," she said in her normal tone that was marred by her scary smile

"Um, we have a lot of homework, so we'll have to talk later," Asuka said in an attempt to get away

Grabbing the pair, she put them on either side of her and trapped them by draping an arm around their shoulders. Misato then looked up in time to see that Sai, Keevan, Iak and Rikku return.

"Tadaimas," Sai said

Upon seeing that, Misato was smiling and Asuka and Shinji were looking flushed and uncomfortable, the tech grabbed Keevan and said, "We'll be on the roof, call when you're done"

"Hey," the mage asked as Sai dragged him away, "What's going on?"

Sai attempted to explain by telling him that he needed to wait till he was older before he'd tell him. The Aerolans also turned to leave

"Iak-san, Rikku-san," Shinji called out desperately, "help us!"

"Oh no, I can't," Rikku told them, "I have to prepare for tomorrow's lesson"

Coughing, Iak said, "I have fallen behind on my training, I must make up for it"

"Wimps!" Asuka called at their retreating backs

"Now, now Asuka," Misato said soothingly, "you can talk with your friends later, but for now, we have to talk"

For the next three hours, she kept them there and told them the facts of life. When Rikku dared to peek out into the living room when it had quieted down, she saw Misato pass by with a satisfied smirk. Sitting on the couch, Asuka and Shinji shared a blush as red as Unit-02's paint job.

"Hey," she said, "how are you?"

"Fine," Shinji said in a very quiet tone

Nodding, Asuka added in a squeaky voice, "Yeah, nothing wrong"

Nodding in understanding, Rikku said, "Yeah, it was as bad as that when Iak and I had that lecture"

Both looked up, with Asuka demanding in a still shaky voice, "Why didn't you try to help us?"

In a sage tone, the Aerolan replied, "It is a part of life, and the two of you are entering adulthood. You must have knowledge so as to not make mistakes"

"Or," she said in a teasing tone, "does this mean you would've preferred to have Iak and I give you the talk"

"NO!" the two shouted frantically

She chuckled when they shouted, causing Asuka to remember to ask, "Hey, how old are you two anyway?"

Winking, Rikku replied, "Old enough"

"Is it safe yet?"

Sai peered around the corner and saw that Misato wasn't there. Sighing in relief, he moved to one of the terminals and sat down in the seat

"Man, I was sure that Misato'd be talking longer" he said, scratching the back of his head.

Stepping past them, Keevan appeared, followed by Iak who asked, "Anyone up for hot dogs tonight?"

"NO!"

Iak smiled slightly as Rikku laughed. Keevan stared on confused and was led into the kitchen as the rest of the inhabitants came into the living room.

* * *

SEELE HQ

A table with which a group of old men sat, with Gendo sitting one end, fingers interlaced in front of his face. Standing behind him, hands clenched behind his back, was his second in command, Fuyutsuki

"This is not in the scenario," one of them said loudly, "The arrival of these 'Avatars' will ruin everything we planned"

"Ikari," the one with the long nose said, "what are you doing in effect of these interlopers?"

In his neutral tone, the Commander replied, "I am doing everything in my power to locate and capture the anomalies"

The head of SEELE Keel, who had been silent up to this point, then asked, "Ikari, you wouldn't, perhaps, be attempting to use the Avatars?"

Eyes hidden behind the glare in his glasses, Gendo answered, "I believe we may be able to use the Avatars to our benefit"

"No!" another old man said, "they are too much out of our grasp, we cannot risk the chance that they might be able to stop our scenario"

"Already they have delayed the activation of Unit-03," the long nosed one cried out, "This is costing us too much, and the delays will only upset the scenario even more! They must be dealt with immediately!"

In a level tone, Gendo told them, "Worry not; Section 2 is already attempting to capture an Avatar. Even now, they are looking up on a possible undercover Avatar"

In an equally level tone, Keel replied, "See to it. Once you have captured this one, we can use him to force the others to leave, and allow us to proceed with our plans"

There was a moment of silence before the head of SEELE said, "Coincidentally, as a result of the interference, the Second Child and the Third Child have formed a relationship. We cannot allow this to continue"

"Agreed," yet another old man said, "Ikari, have you plans, he is your son"

"Do not worry," the Commander said coldly, "I have plans"

"Very well," Keel said, "This meeting is over for now. Ikari, you had better have results the next time we gather"

"Of course"

With that, the lights illuminating Gendo and Fuyutsuki shut off, and the two men disappeared. The men allowed a few moments of silence, in case Gendo had not left yet, before they conversed

"With this new development, we need to make changes," Keel said, "I believe we may need to send someone to be our inside man"

Scoffing, the long nosed man said, "What chance of that? After Kaji died we have had no one sending us information. On top of that, Ikari will be onto us, he'll be watching for the knife in his back"

Smirking, Keel assured them by saying, "I believe I know someone who will be sufficient"

Another spotlight appeared, illuminating a fourteen year old boy with gray hair and red eyes. He was smiling as everyone turned to look at him, humming Ode to Joy

* * *

Behind the names:

Ryuu: Dragon

Tsubame: Swallow (bird)

Tsubasa: Wing

Ume: plum blossom (Symbolizes devotion in Japan)

* * *

For the Japanese enthusiasts, above is a little _Behind the Names_, where I tell you what the names mean. Anyway, R&R, and I'll get back to you all as soon as possible

Later!


	28. Birthday

Chapter 28: Birthday

Hello, hello, I'm back with another chapter. This is a long one, I just couldn't stop typing becaus it's Asuka's birthday! Woohoo! I'm following what most sources say, and having her birthday on December 4, for those who were curious

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. OC's are mine, and if there are any similarities to real people or to any character in other stories, it is coincidental

Preread by YouarenotasrandomasI

Now, on with the show!

* * *

Avatar Base 

For two days, Shinji planned out everything for Asuka's birthday. No matter what the red-head did, she was unable to get him to tell her. In a way, she was happy for this, because it meant that Shinji was becoming more confident and comfortable with other people. On the other hand, Asuka really disliked not being able to get her boyfriend to talk.

In a bit of desperation, she went to Rikku, because she had seen Shinji talking in private with the bird woman.

"Rikku-chan," the red-head began, hands on her hips, "I know Shinji-kun was talking with you, and I think it was about my birthday"

In an evasive tone, the blonde Aerolan replied, "Oh, no he just wanted to know some recipes that he could learn"

Eyes narrowing, Asuka huffed as she asked, "What is Shinji up to?"

Placing an arm around the frustrated girl's shoulders, Rikku told her, "Relax, you know that Shinji wants to give you the greatest birthday you've ever had, so give him the chance"

"I suppose," Asuka said with a small sigh, "It's just that I haven't seen him around that much"

"I suppose you have that," Rikku said thoughtfully, "especially since you've only recently become a couple"

Nodding, Asuka turned to see Iak leading Hikari in through the door to the outside. Surprised, the red-head walked over to her friend and gave her a hug.

"Hikari, what are you doing here?"

A mock stern look, the brunette replied, "It's your birthday, Asuka; I came here to spend some time with you"

Expression softening, Asuka said, "Thanks Hikari"

Hooking arms with the red-head, the brunette asked, "Hey, how about we go out?"

"Sounds like a good idea," Asuka replied before turning to Rikku, "How about we make this a girls' day out?"

Smiling, the blonde Aerolan replied, "I like it"

Without looking, Rikku caught the small wad of cash that Iak tossed her way. Winking at him, she changed into something less conspicuous, with the vest to hide her wings under her clothes.

"I'll see you later"

She then led the three girls out, leaving Iak to turn to where Shinji was in the kitchen with Keevan, "She's gone, we'd better get started if we want to finish in time"

"Alright," Shinji said, "Keevan, can you help get the decorations set up on the roof?"

Nodding, the mage said, "I'll get it done faster if I can get Sai and Shuri to help"

"Shuri-Shara," Iak corrected as the combined ninja walked in, "will help with decorations"

"Right" the ninja said, despite being a little lost, "I'll get on it"

Once Keevan and Shuri-Shara had gone, Shinji turned to Iak and saw him leaving, so he asked, "Where are you going?"

"To get my gift," the dark-winged Aerolan replied, "It may take a little bit longer than planned, but it should be done in time for Asuka's arrival"

Smiling in relief, Shinji told Iak, "That'll be fine. You do your thing while I prepare everything else"

With that, the teen put himself to work by putting on an apron and began to whip up a feast for Asuka's birthday party

* * *

Downtown Tokyo-3 

Asuka, Hikari, and Rikku were having a good time out together. The Aerolan had plenty of stories of the adventures and missions she and Iak have been on. The one she was telling now was how she and Iak had to go undercover into a private mansion.

"The only way the two of us could get in," Rikku was telling the two, "was to disguise ourselves as a couple of servants"

Scratching her head, Hikari said, "I find it hard to imagine that Iak could act like a servant, let alone disguise himself like one"

"It shouldn't be," Asuka told her, "he's our new history teacher"

"What!"

Chuckling, the blonde informed the two, "Iak and I are masters of disguise. You should see me do a _male_ pirate captain"

"Wow," Hikari said in awe, "that must be why you're so good at making clothes"

Nodding, Rikku then said, "As good as I am though, Iak's always been the better at hiding who he is"

"Wait a minute," Asuka interrupted, "Didn't you say you just recently made those vests to hide your wings? How were you able to hide yourselves before?"

"We are masters of disguise," the blonde explained, "Our wings may be large, but that doesn't mean that they're hard to hide"

Both girls turned to stare at the Aerolan in disbelief, "Really?"

"Yep, and Iak is the best, he's even the teacher for Advanced Class for Espionage, and Advanced Non-Specialist Combats," the blonde told them, "Iak's a very well known teacher, just about infamous"

"Why's that?" Hikari asked, "He seems like a nice guy"

Snorting, Rikku began to laugh loudly, attracting the attention of a few passerbies. The teens took the laughing woman to a secluded location until she recovered. It took a few moments, but Rikku pulled herself together, wiping away a few tears of mirth.

"Sorry," Rikku said in a breathless tone, "but I have never heard Iak in the same context as kind. He's a great guy, and a better love, but you will never hear a student of his think him 'kind'"

"And why's that?" Asuka demanded

"Only three out of every fifteen students have ever passed in either class of his," the Aerolan explained, "And those students are usually worked to the bone"

"Wow" both girls said in amazement

"Though to be fair to him," Rikku continued, "the students that do pass become top notch Avatars, the best of the best"

Smirking now, the blonde then said in a conspirator whisper, "Also, if I hear he's being to rough, I have a few photos that he wouldn't want circulating, no matter how detached to his emotions he can get"

Grinning, Asuka asked, "Can we see?"

Holding up a small envelope, the Avatar said, "Of course, but only if you never mention any of this to Iak"

The girls huddled around Rikku as she opened the envelope and pulled out the pack of photos inside. The first picture was of a comely dark-haired woman caught in the process of dressing.

"This is Iak," Rikku said, smothering her mirth, "as he was putting on his guise as servant of the mansion I mentioned earlier"

They all began to laugh as they realized that it really was the dark-winged Aerolan. In between bouts of mirth, Rikku flipped to other pictures, each one showing Iak dressed in something embarrassing, humorous, or both.

* * *

Gliding across the sky, Iak suffered from multiple allergy attacks, "I know Rikku is talking about me, and I think I know about what" 

Sighing, he continued on his way, making a mental note to ask which pictures his girlfriend showed and to whom.

* * *

After getting a good laugh, the three girls went out shopping. They spent three hours, and nearly all of the money that Iak had given them, shopping before they stopped at a café for lunch. 

"So Ikari is planning something for you?" Hikari asked excitedly

Asuka flushed a little as she replied, "He insisted, I wasn't able to find out what he planned"

"That sounds so sweet"

"It certainly is," Rikku commented, "you're one lucky girl Asuka"

Smiling, the red-head boasted, "Of course, Shinji is the perfect gentleman, unlike _some_ people I could mention"

Puffing her cheeks, Hikari said, "Asuka, I would appreciate it if you didn't make fun of Touji"

"I know," Asuka sighed, "I don't have any say in who you like, but I'm sure you could do better than that stooge"

"Asuka," Rikku said in a light tone, "You are dating one of the 'stooges', so you had better watch what you say"

"You're right," the red-head said in a contrite tone, "Gomen Hikari-chan"

Taken aback by her apologizing, Hikari said, "It's alright Asuka-chan"

"So," the blonde said in an attempt to change topics, "where do you want to go next?"

* * *

Avatar Base Rooftop 

Several globes floated around as Keevan directed them with his wand. In one corner, Sai was setting up the music system and was putting up the surround sound. The ninja was now a duo as they set up poles and made tent like canopies across much of the open roof.

"Sounds system is done," the bright-haired boy said, wiping his forehead, "How's the dance floor?"

"Done," Shara replied, jumping off of her brother's shoulders

Rubbing where his sister's feet were, Shuri said, "We're ready for almost any weather conditions"

Readjusting his glasses, Keevan asked, "Is there anyone who was invited besides Hikari?"

Sai replied, "Only her and Rei"

"Ayanami-san is coming?" Keevan asked, "I thought she wouldn't be allowed"

Shrugging, Shara said, "We asked, she said she'll come, so I didn't think much about it"

"Oh"

"Anyway, you'd better finish those glow-orbs," Shuri said, reminding Keevan of his job

"Hai"

In the kitchen downstairs, Shinji was putting the finishing touches to the cake he made from scratch. Wiping his forehead, he got up and stretched, getting the kinks out of his back from staying in one position for so long

"There, I hope Asuka-chan likes this" Shinji said to himself

"I'm sure she will"

Jumping, the boy turned to see Iak standing in the doorway, wings stretched out slightly, "Iak-san! Are you finished?"

"Hai"

"That's good," Shinji said, "But, I kind of want to know what you have planned"

"Don't worry"

Turning around, the Aerolan took a step out before saying to the boy, "I promise that you and Asuka will like what I got prepared"

Shinji watched Iak take off from the balcony, gliding out before ascending to the roof.

"So odd," he said quietly, remembering the sensitive hearing Aerolans have.

Setting the cake in the fridge for later, he went out to the hallway with the doors. Stopping in front of Iak and Rikku's room, he stepped in, as always surprised by the way the wall and ceilings were designed to look like open sky. Getting his wits back in order, Shinji walked over to one of the walls, gingerly touching to solid surface. Finding the hidden groove he was looking for, he pulled on it, revealing a hidden drawer containing a small gift-wrapped box.

"Good thing Rikku was willing to help me hide this" Shinji said in relief

* * *

Flashback 

Shinji peeked around the corner to the living room, seeing that Asuka and Misato were conversing. Making sure his red-headed love didn't see him, he snuck up to the Aerolan's room and knocked quietly on it

"Hai," Rikku said, opening the door, "Oh, hey Shinji, what's up?"

Holding a small wrapped box to her, he asked, "Could you hide this for me?"

"Oh," taking the box, she gave a small smile, "For Asuka, right?"

Flushing, he replied, "Yeah, and I need someplace to hide until then"

Gesturing for him to come in, she said, "No problem, I know where we can hide this"

Inside the room, Shinji had a moment of disorientation, seeing that the room looked like it was a square floor floating in the sky. Shaking his head, he caught up with Rikku, who was tapping the 'sky'.

"I know I built one in here," she muttered, running her hand across the wall and finding an invisible groove, "Ah, here it is"

Pulling, Shinji stared in amazement as the sky wall opened up to reveal an open drawer. Smirking, the Aerolan put the box into the drawer before closing it.

"It'll be safe here," she told him bringing him back to earth, "Do you mind telling me what you got Asuka?"

Flushing, he gave a small grin, saying, "Something I'm sure she'll love"

* * *

End Flashback 

Smiling, Shinji took the box and went to the roof. Once there, he finds that the entire surface was decorated beautifully. Floating among the various balloons were small glowing orbs of various colors. At each of the corners of the roof was a big speaker, with a big music player at the west side of the roof. Along the south side was a long table with food that Shinji, Keevan, and Rikku had prepared beforehand. The center of the roof was cleared for dancing and games and it had a canvas roof. The canvas roof was in case of rain, which the weather man put at about sixty percent.

An impressed look on his face, Shinji exclaimed, "Amazing! You guys did a great job with the decorations!"

"Arigato," Shuri said, slightly embarrassed, "I hope that Asuka appreciates it"

"You bet she will"

Kaji had come up on the roof and saw all the decorations, "I'd be surprised if Asuka couldn't see this from where she is now"

"No biggie," Sai said while tinkering with some wiring, "I have stealth shields across the entire rooftop. No on will see any of this"

"That's good to know," replied the rough-faced man, "is everything set?"

"Just about," Shinji told him, "I only wonder where Iak might be"

"Oh?"

Just then, they spotted the shadow from the black wings of the Aerolan as he passed over them, carrying a flat parcel. Kaji watched as Iak flew down and landed without ruffling his feathers through the gaps in the canvas roof.

"Here," the dark-winged man said, putting a wrapped box on a table, "As I said, I will be here before Asuka's arrival"

"Okay," Shinji replied, "Kaji-san, could you get Misato-san so we could get set everyone up to surprise Asuka"

* * *

Later that day 

Five in the evening, the three girls returned to the apartment to find that the complex was quiet and empty.

"That's weird," Asuka said, scratching her head, "Where could everyone be?"

Looking around, Hikari stated, "Maybe they went out"

"Guess so," Rikku added, taking off her vest and allowing her wings to stretch out, "Hey, I feel like a flight, would you like to watch?"

"Oh I'd love to," Hikari said delighted

Ever since she became part of the secret, she visited a few times and always loved watching either of the Aerolans flying around in the sky, seeming to dance in the wind.

"Sure," the red-head said with a sigh and a frown.

"Something wrong," Hikari asked when she noted the slightly disappointed expression on her friend's face

Shaking her head, the red-head replied, "Nothing"

The trio climbed the stairs leading up to the roof, Asuka finding herself at the end of the line. Rikku exited to the roof, followed closely by Hikari. The door stood on uneven hinges, so it always quickly closed when someone lets go of it. Being a few seconds behind, the German girl had to reopen the door to get to the roof.

Sighing, the red-head turned to look back down the stairs, wondering where Shinji was. Shoulders drooping slightly, she turned back around and opened the door to the roof.

"SURPRISE!!"

Jumping straight into the air, Asuka stood wide-eyed at the set up before her. Balloons and glowing orbs floated around as everyone had jumped up and surprised her. Looking up, the red-head saw that there was a banner that said 'Alles Gute zum Geburtstag Asuka' in bright colors.

"Mein Gott," she said dazedly, "You guys…"

She was lost for words, a first for the girl, and she was brought back to reality when Shinji came up and took her elbow

"Come on Asuka-chan," he said smiling, "the party can't start without you"

"Shinji," the German girl said, "did you set this up?"

"He did," Rikku answered, "Everything was planned and put into place by your little prince"

Asuka stared as everyone before turning to see that Misato, Kaji, Hikari, and even Rei were there with the Avatars. A few tears welled up in her eyes as she smiled.

"Alright," the red-head shouted, "let's get this party started!"

They began to have fun as everyone partied. Sai was DJ as he played dozens of songs, from slow dances to the loudest and fastest tunes. Asuka and Shinji danced, often stopping to watch as the other couples danced as well.

Their guardian Misato danced like she drives, wild and all over the place. It was fortunate that Kaji, who was her dance partner, could keep up with her and with a smile too. Iak and Rikku were dancing and prancing about, like a pair of mating birds. Unlike the others, they danced with grace and seemed to know each other's next move. Keevan was timidly dancing with Shara, while her brother seemed to be praying that she wouldn't hurt the young boy.

After the dance, they had dinner, which consisted of a menu from the west and the east, as well as some otherworldly meals. Everyone ate heartily and conversed between servings. Asuka was having a blast, especially when Shinji came up with the cake he made especially for her. The red-head was red as everyone gathered round to sing happy birthday. There was a loud cheer as she blew out the candles, and the cake was cut and divided amongst the party goers

Taking a bite, Asuka gave a low moan as the sweet taste hit her taste buds, "Shinji-kun, this is delicious!"

Flushing in embarrassment, Shinji replied modestly, "Domo, I'm glad you enjoy it"

"Aw, so cute," Misato teased, causing the others to laugh and the teens to blush

After that, came the gift giving. First up were Hikari and Rikku.

"Wow," Asuka said as she pulled out a beautiful red kimono that had blue wave designs on it, "Hikari-chan, this is beautiful"

Smiling, the brunette replied, "I had help, Rikku-chan taught me how to work with a needle, I'm glad you like it"

Surprised, Asuka asked, "You made this?"

"She insisted," Rikku told her, handing her gift over, "We worked together to make you something you'll love"

Opening the blonde Aerolan's next, Asuka pulled out a dress that was designed similar to the types of clothes Rikku sometimes wears when around the apartment. It was blue-green with yellow on the hem on ends of the sleeves. The hem itself was made uneven, and gave the appearance of flight even though it lay there in her arms. In the back, in place of the slits normally for wings, was special embroidery that made a pair of wing-designs on the back. Oddly enough, there was also a pair of what appeared to be stylized bike shorts. Blue-green like the dress, it had a green wave motif on it.

"I like the dress, but what's the pants for?" Asuka asked curiously

Chuckling, Rikku replied, "I went a little overboard and made you some Kailos, flight pants the women wear with their dresses"

Confused, the red-head asked, "Why wear pants with a dress?"

At this, the Aerolan was red with embarrassment as she attempted to make a reply, "Well, you see…"

"What do you think happens when a woman flies in a dress?" Iak said, a meaningful look on his face

The German girl understood now, "Oh, well thanks anyway Rikku-chan, I appreciate the gesture"

"You're welcome," the blonde replied before punching Iak in the arm

Rolling his eyes, Sai stepped up, "No idea what to get you, so here"

He then handed her an envelope which contained a gift certificate for the local clothes department. Asuka thanked him, even though he had already turned to leave. Coming up next, Keevan handed the red-head his gift.

"Hello," Asuka exclaimed in surprise, "What's this thing?"

The 'thing' in question was a clear lens that was attached to a short silver chain. It appeared to be a monocle, so Asuka held it to her eye and looked through it. Looking through, she jerked in surprise at what she saw. Through the glass, she was looking at the mage, who appeared to have a light around him that was a light blue color.

"Truth Lens," Keevan explained, "they allow you to see if the person you're looking at is trustworthy. It shows you colors that depict if a person is untrustworthy or honest"

Looking through the glass, Asuka trained her eye over everyone. Each time, a blue light was around them. Taking it away from her eye, she smiled

"I guess either I can trust everyone here, or you're all out to kill me," she joked

Everyone had a good laugh; even Iak smirked a little at the German girl's humor. Misato then got up and handed her gift over the red-head. Tearing off the wrapping paper, Asuka revealed a music box. Opening it made a light and beautiful song play, and on the inside of the lid was a picture of the red-head, Misato, and Shinji sitting together smiling.

"Misato-san, this is beautiful," Asuka said, getting up and hugging the elder woman, "Arigato"

Smiling, Misato returned the hug and replied, "I'm happy you like it, it's to remind you that you still have a family"

When the two pulled apart, Asuka said again, "Arigato"

Kaji's turn, and he pulled out a large bouquet of white roses, "I know you have another man in your life, but I hope you'll accept these"

"Of course," taking the flowers and taking a sniff, Asuka said, "It isn't like I'm going to forget you"

Kaji only chuckled as he sat back down. Rei then got up, holding a small wrapped gift. Apprehensive, because the blue-haired teen didn't know much about social life, Asuka peeled off the paper and was surprised by the contents. Inside was a box containing a charm bracelet with a star charm on it.

"Wha-?" Asuka said in confusion

Tilting her head, Rei responded, "I did not know what to get you, so I spoke with Keevan and asked for his advice"

Shyly scratching the back of his head, the boy mage told everyone, "I only gave her a few suggestions, she chose it herself"

Shinji nudged Asuka with his elbow, giving her a meaningful look.

Seeing the look he gave her, Asuka took a deep breath, turned to Rei and said, "Wonde-Rei. I want to thank you for the gift, and there's something else"

Holding out her hand, Asuka asked, "Can we be friends?"

Misato, Kaji, and Hikari were surprised by the red-heads gesture of kindness

"I want to apologize for all the insults and put downs you had to go through," Asuka explained, "and I thought we could start over again, and be friends. What do you say?"

Everyone turned to Rei, to see what her response would be, though Misato and Kaji were certain about what the blue-haired girl would say.

Looking at the hand, Rei stared at it for a long time before she extended her own and clasped hands with the red-head, "Very well, friend"

Misato stared wide-eyed as the two girls shook hands, "I never thought this would happen"

"That's great, I'm glad that we could put aside our differences," the red-head said jovially, "since I made amends with Shinji, he wanted me to do the same with you. I'm glad that we can be friends"

"Oh, one last thing," Asuka added as an afterthought, "Friends or not, if you dare try to take my Shinji you'll face my full fury"

_Guess some things never change_, Misato thought with a relieved smile

Shuri and Shara came up next, each carrying a big scroll. Confused, Asuka opened the scrolls to see that they contained directions and diagrams of various martial arts moves.

"Wow," the red-head said, looking at the directions

Smirking, Shara said, "We know you're tough, so we figured that you might like to learn a couple of new moves"

Shyly, Shuri added, "Maybe you and Shinji could train together"

"Sure," the red-head said, turning to said boy, "you could do with some beefing up Shinji, I'll be sure to kick you into shape"

Nervously smiling, Shinji said, "Iak, I think it's your turn"

"No, you first, I insist"

Gulping, Shinji stepped up and handed Asuka his gift. Giving him a reassuring smile, the red-head opened the gift. She gave a slight gasp when she saw what was inside, causing the others to gather round to see what Shinji got her. Inside was a beautiful necklace; a red ruby in the shape of the heart hanging from a thin golden chain. Small diamonds crusted the edge of the heart and studded the chain. Picking it up, Asuka turned it around to see that it was engraved on the back.

It said: _To my dearest love, with all my heart_

Asuka bit her lip as she looked up to Shinji, who was looking at her, a worried look on his face. Smiling reassuringly, she set the box aside and flung her arms around him, giving him a hug.

"It's beautiful," she said, pulling back a little, "but how did you afford it?"

She peeked at Iak, who shook his head, "Pilot's wage"

Misato elaborated, "As pilots, you, Shinji, and Rei all are given a large sum of money on a monthly basis. At the moment, as I am your caretaker, all transactions need to go through me. Shinji asked for me to withdraw some money for him so he could get you a gift"

Smiling, Asuka hugged Shinji tighter and said, "How generous. I love it"

Pulling out of the hug, the boy took the necklace and put it around her neck, "And I love you"

Kissing him, Asuka told him, "You're such a romantic"

Hearing the chuckles around them, Shinji flushed as he turned to Iak, "Um, o-okay, Iak-san, its y-your turn"

Smirking at the return of Shinji's shyness, Misato refrained from teasing the boy, both because she was happy for the boy and that it wouldn't be nice thing to do to the boyfriend of the birthday girl, "Yeah, show us what you got"

The dark winged Aerolan picked up his package, which was wrapped in regular brown paper. Wondering what might be inside it; Asuka ripped the paper and revealed a magnificent painting. Shinji looked over her shoulder and gaped along with her at the image painted onto the canvas.

It was a painting of them, except that they were years older. The picture Shinji looked a bit like his father, but was softened in his features, and had a smile on his face. He was sitting on a couch with a red-headed woman sitting in his lap, arms wrapped lovingly around her waist. The woman was obviously Asuka, and in her arms was a child, carefully bundled up and held lovingly.

Everyone looked up to see Iak casually sitting on the low wall that encompassed the roof's edge. His face held no emotion as he stared back at them. Rikku only snickered as the teens got up.

"Where did you get this from?" Asuka demanded

"Do you not like it?" Iak asked evenly

Shaking her head, the red-head said, "No, it's great, but I want to know how you made this"

Shrugging, the Aerolan replied, "Time is a river"

Before he knew it, both Asuka and Shinji said, "Domo arigato" and grabbed him in a hug

Now laughing at the expression on his face, Rikku said, "Alright, we know you love it, but could you not kill my boyfriend?"

Everyone, with the exception of Rei, laughed now, as Iak turned red-faced and turned around.

* * *

Later 

Hikari was escorted home by Sai and Rei was escorted by Keevan. In the living room, Iak and Rikku were having some tea before going to bed. The twins had long since gone to bed, and Kaji and Misato were out on the roof for one last glass of wine. In their room, Asuka set up the painting that Iak had made for them on the wall between their beds.

The red-head stared at the painting as she felt Shinji step up behind her, "Shinji-kun?"

"Hai, Asuka-chan"

Leaning back against him, she asked, "Do you think that that's our future?"

Wrapping his arms around her waist, mimicking the painting, Shinji replied, "I think that if we really try, we can make that true"

Closing her eyes, Asuka leaned her head back as she fingered the necklace Shinji gave her, "That's pretty deep, did you hurt yourself thinking that up?"

Stuttering, Shinji wasn't able to make a reply when the red-head in his arms twisted around and kissed him. Returning the kiss, he calmed down as he placed a hand in the small of her back. When they broke for air, Asuka laid her head in the crook of Shinji's neck, him stroking her hair gently.

"Arigato, for the party, the gift, and for being there"

Recalling his trip into the memories of Asuka's childhood, Shinji replied, "It was the least that you deserved"

Another kiss, then the two separated to prepare for bed. Once they changed, Shinji found that Asuka was joining him in bed.

Spotting the redness in his face, she retorted, "Baka hentai, I know what you're thinking. I just want to be near you, that's all"

Relaxing, Shinji held up his arm and let Asuka snuggle up against him. Pulling the blanket over them, he wrapped his arms around the German girl.

"Gute Nacht, Shinji-kun"

"Same to you, Asuka-chan," he replied, kissing her forehead

* * *

Rooftop 

Kaji and Misato were sharing one last glass of wine before they went to bed. Already inebriated, the woman leaned against the man as she downed her wine. As she gulped, Misato looked up and placed a hand on the rough-faced man's stubble

"Kaji-kun," she slurred, "You really should shave, that stubble is pretty rough"

Chuckling, he replied, "Sure, whatever"

Bringing her head up to his, she said, "You're just saying that to get me to go away"

Tilting her chin gently with his hand, Kaji replied, "I would never do that to the ones I love"

Teary eyed, Misato asked, "Really?"

Kissing her, the rough-faced man said, "Really. I would like to start over, get back together again. Is that alright with you?"

The drunk woman replied by wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down for a passionate kiss. Tonight, even if the woman he loved wouldn't remember tomorrow, he was happier than he'd ever been in so many years.

* * *

Translation: 

Alles Gute zum Geburtstag Asuka: Roughly translated from Happy Birthday Asuka

* * *

Alright, another chapter down. Did you like the end when I put Kaji and Misato together? I thought I focused too much on the Shinji/Asuka pairings, so I decided to put a little something for those two. Anyway, R&R, and I'll get back as soon as possible. 

Later!


	29. The American Team

Chapter 29: The American Team

A/N: Another filler, but one that should answer your question of, 'what's going on in America?'

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters, and if there is any resemblence to real people or caracters of other stories, it is merely coincidental

Preread by YouarenotasrandomasI

Now, on with the show!

* * *

Tension filled the air. Cairn flickered his eyes to the man they kidnapped a week ago before quickly turning them to Hunter. His face was emotionless and he kept his gaze on the other man, who had a confident smirk on his face. Unable to take the stress, Cairn swallowed and closed his eyes. Suddenly, the dark man's hand flew out swiftly, flying towards the grinning man.

Snatching one of the cards in his hand, Cairn opened his eyes slowly and groaned, "Not again"

Chuckling, the man said, "Oh yeah, my turn"

Snatching the last card in Cairn's hand, the man put down the last pair and said, "I am the champion"

Groaning, Cairn said, "I'm always the old maid"

In the weeks since the man's capture, he had grown used to the odd ways of the Avatars. He was given access to pretty much the entire campsite, although he was told not to leave the grounds. The first few days, he tried to sneak away, when everyone else was asleep. Every time, he was caught in some form of trap and was left in it until morning, when Hunter would come out and free him. It had gotten to the point that the man just gave up and accepted his stay at the camp

At least he wasn't kept locked away, and for that he was grateful. He was even able to make a few calls to his family, making sure to tell them that he was okay and not to worry about him. If anything, he thought, they should feel worry for Cairn, who was constantly being beaten by him

"Argh, once more!"

Looking at his watch, Hunter asked, "It's about noon, what do you guys want for lunch?"

Cairn replied, "Anything, just don't interrupt us" as he dealt a new hand

"Colonel Sanders?"

"I'm fine with anything," the man replied, "Just warn me if you're using animals like snakes or rabbits"

Nodding, Hunter got up and went to the stove and began to prepare another meal. A tent, situated a good deal further away from the other tents, had green smoke coming out of the vent in the roof.

"Kaitos," the military Avatar called out, "Stop before you blow something up again"

"In a minute, I almost have it!" the cripple shouted back

Sighing, Hunter and Cairn simultaneously counted down, "5, 4, 3, 2, 1"

A small blast blew the tent roof another hole at the count of one. The tent door opened and a big puff of green smoke poured out as Kaitos crawled out, coughing his last lung out. Sanders, who was becoming used to this, chuckled as Cairn groaned

"That's the fourth time you blew something up today," the dark man said, looking at his cards, "Give it a rest before you blow yourself up"

Swigging down a whole bottle of medicine, Kaitos gasped out, "You may have a point there. In the name of alchemy, I will take a momentary breather"

Sighing, Hunter said, "If you don't mind, watch the pot while I go out and grab some meat"

As he passed, Cairn reminded him, "No poisonous reptiles. The three of us will be alright, but I'm not sure about Sanders"

Waving his hand as he took a card from Cairn's hand, he replied, "I'll be fine. You guys just need to remember to remove the poison sacs before you cook them"

A little while later, Hunter returns with a pair of hares. Making sure that Kaitos didn't contaminate the stew with any chemicals, he then skinned the hares and cut them up. Adding some vegetables with the meat, Hunter set the pot to simmer and went over to where Cairn and Sanders were playing.

Picking one of the last two cards in Sanders' hand, the dark man picked joker again, "Aw damn, again?"

Shuffling his hand, Cairn held it out, praying that Sanders choose the joker. He groaned as the other man didn't and won again.

"I give up," he said as he shuffled the deck of cards again, "Let's play something else"

Shrugging, Sander said, "You are only going to lose, are you sure?"

"Of course!"

This is how most of the days pass for the Avatars and Sanders. Every once in a while, one of the Avatars would disappear for the day and wouldn't return till late at night. It was now around the middle of December, and he began to notice a feel in the air. Sanders remembers this feeling sometimes in his team as they prepared for a big mission.

After lunch, Kaitos got up, "I need to check one last thing on the AX unit before we send it over tomorrow"

Waving his hand, Hunter laid on his back as he pulled out a PDA. Raising an eyebrow, Sanders looked towards Cairn to find him pulling out what looked like a chess board.

"Okay, so I can't beat you in card games," the dark man said, "So how about some Battle Chess?"

Feeling a bit wary, Sanders asked, "What kind of game is that?"

Setting the board on the table where they ate lunch, Cairn said, "Come over here and I'll show you"

When he sat down, the man looked down to see that 3-dimensional images floated in front of him. There were three objects, one was a ball, another was a cone, and the third was a square cube. Sander looked up to see that Cairn had selected the cone. He closed his eyes as he randomly pointed at one of them. Opening his eyes, Sander saw that he chose the ball.

"Okay," he asked, "Now what?"

"Watch"

The images disappeared and a set of figures appeared on each side of the board. Sander's set had eight figures; half were holding pikes and standing in front of the others. The remaining figures were of heavily armored knights. On Cairn's side, he also had eight figures, half of which were archers, the remaining half a set of ogre-like men.

"Um, what now," Sanders asked in a confused tone

Chuckling, Cairn said, "Just watch"

Taping one of his archers, he had it advance two spaces forward. Sanders looked up to see that Cairn was waiting for him to move. It soon became clear that the game was very similar to regular chess, with a few variations. In the game, the front row acted like pawns, but depending on what set you chose, the pawns had different abilities. Sander's pike men could attack pieces two spaces away, but Cairn's pawns could attack from four spaces. Then there were the other sets, which apparently had individual characteristics. Each figure had its own personalities, and depending on the personality, the pieces either did what you wanted or something else entirely.

"No, no, no," Sander said frustrated, "You go two spaces _diagonally_, come on"

Cairn didn't have that much more luck, but he was leading the game, "Yes, looks like the game is mine"

However, the dark man underestimated the man's leadership abilities. Within five minutes, Sanders was able to get his pieces to do what he said, and was completely demolishing Cairn.

As the last piece was put away, Cairn put his head in his hands as he moaned, "Come on, is there any game you _can't_ win?"

Chuckling, Sanders replied, "Nope"

* * *

The Next Day

Sanders got up earlier than usual, and walked out of the tent he was given. Rubbing his eyes, he stood up straight and stretched his sleep filled muscles. As he yawned, he saw something moving in the corner of his eye. Nonchalantly turning around, Sanders saw that Hunter was talking with what appeared to be a floating Sputnik satellite.

"Thanks again," the military Avatar was saying to the device, "I'll see you again in two cycles"

The machine made a few beeping noises before it floated away. It disappeared into a green swirling vortex that appeared from nowhere. Hunter turned, carrying several tubes in a bag.

"Ohayo," Hunter said absentmindedly as he looked at the labels on the tubes, "you're going to have to wait a bit before breakfast is served"

"Um, what was that and what are those?" Sanders asked

Tapping on the door to Cairn's tent, Hunter didn't answer him, calling out, "Cairn, mail call"

The tent door unzipped, and the dark Avatar's head stuck itself out, "Alright, what'd I get?"

Tossing a few tubes, Hunter replied, "I don't know, open and find out"

Sanders walked over to next to Cairn, and looked over his shoulder. The Avatar had opened up one of the tubes and had pulled out a scroll of papyrus. Reading the contents over his shoulder, Sander was unable to make heads or tails of the writing.

"Who's it from," he asked

Smiling, Cairn replied, "A friend from another world is telling me about his wife's new child"

"Oh," Sanders said, "I see, that satellite thing was a delivery machine with mail"

"Bingo," the dark man replied, "every two cycles, it comes around delivering mail to Avatars like ourselves"

Intrigued, Sanders asked, "Who do you usually get mail from?"

Opening another tube, this time revealing a folded envelope, Cairn replied, "Oh, friends from worlds we visit and from home"

"That's cool," he said, "Must be nice to travel around to so many strange and amazing places"

"Certainly is," the dark man replied, "You know what, why don't I get you a recommendation to become an Avatar?"

Surprised, Sanders scratched the back of his head, "Wow, I'd love to, but I have family here. I can't just up and go on a journey like you guys"

Chuckling, Cairn opened up another tube, which contained a set of beads on a blue string, "Don't worry, we can do a little time manipulation as well, so that you can return about an hour after you've left. We don't age in Central or in-between trips, and we have the power to change your age so that when you go home, it'll be like you never left"

"Central?"

"Oh, Central Station," Cairn answered, opening another tube that contained four different colored feathers and a seed, "It's the central point of the Avatar organization. All new recruits are trained there, and it also has so much variety from so many worlds"

Putting his mail away, the dark man faced Sanders and told him, "It is impossible to properly describe what Central Station is like. The only thing close enough to describe it is a cross of a super mall and a subway system. I'm going to ask again, would you like to become an Avatar?"

After a moments thought, Sanders asked, "Is the work going to be dangerous?"

"Oh, depends on what missions you're given. Though for newbies they tend to give easier missions, to ease them in"

"Pay?"

"Good pay," Cairn said, "although you do have to go and exchange currencies often, and some worlds barter"

"How about vacations?"

"Since time isn't a major problem, you can have a vacation any time without having to worry about falling behind"

Another moment of thinking and Sanders answered, "Sounds like a fine idea, I'll take you up on your offer"

Grabbing his hand, Cairn enthusiastically shook it, saying, "Great, I'll put in the recommendation and we should have you in training about a week from now"

"Um, I thought you said that you could manipulate time?"

Sighing, the dark man scratched the back of his head and replied, "I know, but you have to consider how damn many people put stuff in for the council. Even they would be overwhelmed considering the amount of work they need to do"

Chuckling, Sanders replied, "Good to know that even people like you get bogged down by mundane things like paperwork"

Joining him, Cairn said, "I know. Well, if things go well, you'll be seeing me soon"

Seeing the confused look on his face, the dark man continued, "I'm a teacher. I teach Disguise, Basic, and Cultural Relations"

"I understand Disguise, but what's this about Cultural Relations?"

A wry grin on his face, Cairn explained, "Not all civilizations are like the one here on this world"

Catching the drift, Sanders got up, "Well, I guess we'll have to wait for the mail drone to come back"

"No need," the dark Avatar said, getting up, "Aside from the Council, I am one of the few people who can create my own portals to travel in-between worlds. Everyone else needs help, either technologically or magically"

He then pulled out a PDA, "Besides, I can just email them"

Later that day, Cairn had informed Hunter and Kaitos of Sanders' decision to join the Avatars. Both congratulated him and gave him words of advice.

"If you get Iak, transfer out," Kaitos warned him, "I don't care if you have to bribe the Council, just stay out of his class"

Hitting his good arm, Cairn said, "Come on, you're only saying that because you failed his class"

Hunter added, "Don't worry, Iak's a good friend of ours, we know him well. He's not a bad person, and, although he can be strict, he is pretty good"

"Sure," the cripple interjected, "You're saying that because the three of you are all teachers, as well as old time buddies"

Shrugging, Hunter turned to Cairn and asked, "Did you already send a recommendation?"

"Of course"

"Very well," he said, pulling out a piece of paper and writing stuff down, "In the case you do get selected, follow these directions. They will help you get through the first few moments of Central Station"

Reading the paper, Sanders saw a list of what to do and not to do when in Central. Skimming the text, he raised his eyebrows a few times before he looked up at the trio.

"Two left turns is the bathroom and the fourth on the left is men's?"

"Trust me; there are more than just men's and women's restrooms"

"If you see a purple line, walk to the left of it, never on or to the right of it?"

"For your safety," Kaitos said fervently, "Please do as that one says"

An odd look, Sanders looked at the last one on the list and said, "Who's Zany?"

"Cairn," Hunter said jokingly, to which the dark man fake punched

"It's actually one of the kiosk people," Cairn explained, "It'll direct you to where you need to go"

"It?"

Shrugging, Kaitos replied, "No one asked its gender, and a few people are afraid of it"

Deciding to let it lie until he actually went to Central, Sanders folded up the piece of paper and stuffed it down his shirt pocket

"Do I need anything special?"

"Nothing special," Cairn said

Coughing a little, Kaitos took a swig of medicine before adding, "Unless you have something like medicine or something similar, you don't have to worry about what you need"

The discussion continued for days, as Sanders asked the three Avatars everything he could about the organization they were a part of. It was about a couple of days before Christmas that Cairn received another mail tube, this one sent through a portal. It was during the middle of a game of poker, Sanders was leading as usual, that it came in.

"Oh, looks like they finally sent back a reply," the dark Avatar said, popping the top of the tube

After reading the first few paragraphs, Cairn handed the letter over to Sanders, "Congratulations"

"Wow, I can't believe it," Sanders said in amazement as he read it

"Believe it," Cairn told him, and then got up from the table, "It came in time too, and it's about a few days from Christmas. We're done here, so we might as well get things moving"

Sanders watched as the trio began to pack up camp, each in their own way. Hunter manually took down his tent, stowing it away in a bag before packing the rest of his stuff in his rucksack. Clapping his hands together, Kaitos used his alchemy to transform his tent into a small ball of canvas. The cripple then began to put his beakers, test tubes, and other assorted instruments into metal lead-lined boxes, sometimes with thick gloves. For Cairn, he just widened his pocket and sucked his gear into its unfathomable depths.

"You really should put it away properly," Hunter reprimanded, "It's only going to make things harder to clean up later"

"I'll do it later"

Within the hour, the campsite was taken down and all traces of their residence there cleared.

"Hey," Sanders asked, "What's going on?"

Slinging his bag over his shoulder, Hunter said, "We're done here, our job was to delay Unit-04's test activation. With what we've done, they won't be able to until sometime in January"

Knowing that his new friends were going to be leaving, Sanders got up and shook each of their hands, "It was nice meeting all of you. I look forward to working with you again"

Returning the handshake, Cairn replied, "Sure will. Expect a letter from the Council sometime in May. It will be accompanied by an Avatar who will escort you to Central and take you to the orienteering"

Waving goodbye, Cairn raised his hand and opened up a black portal. Hunter went through first, saluting to Sanders, who returned it. Following him, Kaitos also waved goodbye, immediately turning around and talking something about moving something manually, followed by the dark Avatar

"See you later," Cairn shouted as the portal closed

It was then that Sanders realized that he was left in the middle of nowhere. He was about to shout when he saw his radio on the ground. Picking it up, he fiddled with it until he got the frequency of the base. He then saw a note attached to the bottom of the device

_Get as far away from the Nevada base **before** the date the Evangelion is to be activated, unless you wish to die_

The Avatars meant well, so he decided to follow the directions on the label.

"_This is a restricted frequency. Whoever is using it, identify yourself immediately, over"_

"This is Colonel Sanders," he said into the receiver, "I have just escaped the insurgents and require pickup, over"

"_Sanders? We were worried about you sir. Transport will be sent, please tell us your location, over"_

Taking seat on the ground, Sanders waited for the pickup and wondered about what life would be like as an Avatar.

* * *

There you go, another chapter to read. R&R and I'll get back as soon as I can


	30. Interlude

Chapter 30: Interlude

Alright, it's another little filler. My beta was a lazy ass on this, so if there are any mistakes blame him, not me

Disclaimer: I do not NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters, and if they bear any resemblence to real people or characters of other stories, it is merely coincidence

Preread by YouarenotasrandomasI

* * *

Rei and the Commander of Nerv were walking across the catwalks that separated the Evas in their respective cages. They did so in comfortable silence, neither requiring making small talk. Gendo paused in front of Unit-01 to speak with Rei about an important topic.

"Rei"

"Hai?"

"We have reason to believe that Keevan Markan, a student in your class, to be an Avatar"

She didn't answer, keeping her expression completely neutral.

He continued, "Section 2 has developed a plan to flush the Avatars out into the open, and they require your assistance"

"I will do whatever I can to assist," Rei answered

Pushing his glasses back up his nose, Gendo said, "Excellent"

* * *

The Park

Keevan was strolling along, carrying a bag full of books. Today was a Sunday, so he had the day off from school. The mage had decided to go to the local bookstore to pick up a few books he'd been itching to get. He was passing a playground when he spotted Rei sitting on a bench. Going up to her, he greeted the blue-haired girl

"Konnichiwa Ayanami-san"

Looking up, the girl replied, "Konnichiwa"

Taking a seat next to her, Keevan asked, "What are you doing out here?"

"Nothing"

"Oh"

Both were very quiet afterwards, staring out at the kids playing in the playground. The weather was cloudy and quite breezy, the wind-chill causing the temperature to drop a good ten degrees.

After a while, Rei asked, "What kind of books do you have?"

Looking up, Keevan replied, "Mostly fiction, why are you interested?"

Rei was quiet, unable to bring herself to answer the boy. The Commander had told her about the plan that Section 2 agents had formulated. It involved her, the only pilot not living with the Avatars, to get friendly with Keevan and to get him alone so that the agents could abduct him.

In a quiet tone, Rei replied, "I wish to be friendly, am I doing something wrong?"

Shaking his head, the mage replied, "No, it's just that you're not acting like yourself"

"Oh?"

"Yeah," Keevan explained, "most of the time, you're kind of like my Sensei"

"Really?" Rei asked

Nodding, the mage listed similarities between the two, "The two of you can be blunt, you both like to listen, and you both wear the same thing everyday"

He then grew nervous as he waved his hands, "But you look nice in that"

Plucking at her school uniform, the blue-haired girl responded, "It is clothing that covers the body, it is required by school, so I do not require any other type of clothing"

"Yeah, that's kind of like Mimara-sensei," Keevan said with a giggle, "she says that she doesn't require anything other than the dress she always wear"

Intrigued, Rei then asked, "So, how else are we alike?"

Smiling, Keevan said, "You are both alike, but you're also different"

Swinging his legs, the mage looked up at the sky and then told Rei, "Sensei is lonely, but she doesn't like people to know. She's always happiest when I was with her, but she feels sad when she's with other people. I think that it might be because other people are afraid of her and her ability to know everyone's secrets"

A faraway look on her face, Rei added, "It can be hard, being different. People are afraid of being different"

Turning to face the girl, Keevan said, "It's okay to be different. It's what makes you who you are, and I think that you're okay the way you are"

The blue-haired girl turned to look at the mage with a quizzical expression. Before she could ask what she meant, Keevan got up and pulled her to her feet. She was a little bewildered as he pulled her into a swing and start pushing her.

"Relax, Ayanami-san," the boy said, "have some fun"

As she relaxed, Rei found herself flying through the air on a rubber pad connected to two chains. She was unable to figure out what was fun about swinging back and forth like a pendulum. When she turned around to ask Keevan what she was supposed to do, she saw that Keevan was smiling at her childishly. Unable to help herself, Rei smiled back. She didn't know why, but something about the childish Avatar made her want to smile.

After some time, Rei saw a couple of men in suits at the other end of the park. Remembering what she was supposed to do, she put her feet down and stopped her swinging.

"Markan-san," she began, "I appear to be wasting your time"

Shaking his head, Keevan replied, "It's alright, I don't have duties like my friends, so I have free time"

"I see"

Getting out of the swing, Rei asked, "Would you like me to push?"

Nodding, Keevan leaped into the seat of the swing as the girl went around. Slowly, the blue-haired girl pushed the boy on the swing.

"Ayanami-san," the mage said, "Push harder"

Putting more power into her pushes, Rei watched as the boy went higher and higher. Keevan was laughing as he swung high up in the air. As she looked around, the girl saw that there were a few people with amused looks on their faces. Suddenly shy, Rei looked away. The mage sensed something wrong and looked back.

"Hey, Ayanami-san, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing"

Frowning a bit, Keevan stopped and hopped off, "Come on, what's wrong"

"The people look at us and are smiling, I do not know what they think is funny"

Turning to the people she was mentioning, he smiled and said, "Hey, let's get something to eat"

They went to a nearby ramen shop to have some lunch. As they ate, the girl's cell phone rang. Taking it out, Rei pushed the talk button and held the device to her ear.

"Pilot Ayanami," a man's voice called over the phone, "We have lost sight of you and the subject, where are you?"

Confused, Rei replied, "We are at the ramen shop to the south of the park"

"Repeat that Pilot, I did not hear you"

Just as she was about to answer back, the phone disconnected. Pulling the device from her ear, Rei attempted to redial, but found that she was receiving to reception.

"What's wrong?" Keevan said around a mouthful of noodles

Looking up, the blue-haired girl replied, "I received a call, but it disconnected. I am attempting to reestablish a connection, yet I am unable to receive a signal"

Gulping down, Keevan took out his cell phone and checked for reception, "Same here. That's odd, all our phones are all designed to never fail, I wonder why this is happening"

* * *

Avatar Base

A blank look on his face, Iak asked, "Was it necessary to cut out all reception in that area?"

"I panicked," Sai responded defensively, "Rei was about to tell the Section 2 agents their location"

* * *

Ramen Shop

Shrugging it off, the mage said, "I don't know about it. I'm not the best when it comes to technology, but I'm sure that we don't have to worry about it"

Uneasy, but not showing it, Rei put her phone away and finished her ramen. Once the pair finished and paid for their meal, they left.

"So where are you going now?" Keevan asked

"I am not sure"

Silence ensued between them as they began to walk around. Rei looked around as she tried to find any agents that may be around, but was unable to locate any. Letting Keevan take the lead, the blue-haired girl trailed behind as she tried to get a signal on her cell.

"Hey, Ayanami-san, look"

Looking up, she saw that Keevan was pointing at a photo booth

"Come on," he said, tugging on her sleeve, "let's go get our picture taken"

Allowing herself to be pulled into the booth, Rei sat down on the bench as Keevan inserted the required change

Seating himself next to her, Keevan said, "Smile"

A flash and a couple of minutes later a strip of pictures printed out. Keevan pulled it out and giggled at the image. Rei had a look of surprise on her face as Keevan held his hand up with a V for Victory sign.

"Ayanami-san, you look funny"

"How do I look amusing?" Ayanami asked

"Look," the mage said, pointing to the image, "your face is so funny here"

Flushing, Rei responded, "I do not find this amusing"

Frowning, Keevan put his hand down and said, "Gomen, I thought you'd think it was funny too"

"Well," the blue-haired girl said in an unsure tone, "if you look at it, I do appear a little foolish"

Smiling again, the mage took one of the copies and gave it to her, "Here, one for you"

Taking the photo, Rei responded, "Arigato"

The two resumed walking through the city. Above them, clouds began to collect, darkening the skies. The breeze also began to pick up, dropping the temperature a couple of degrees. Papers danced about in the air as it began to pick up. One particular breeze came right between Rei's legs. Clutching her school skirt down, the blue-haired girl shivered at the cold air.

"Are you cold Ayanami-san?" Keevan asked as he watched her shiver

Looking up, Rei replied, "The wind blew across my bare skin, it is nothing"

He watched her shiver for a moment before he placed a hand on her arm. As she looked up, Keevan canted a short spell under his breath. A moment later, she felt a warmth surge through her body.

"There you go," he said, pulling his arm away, "That'll keep you warm for the next hour, but you should probably buy a jacket to keep you warm when it's windy out"

"Arigato Keevan-kun," Rei replied, "I will take your advice into consideration"

Shaking his head, the mage said, "Don't think about it, like your clothes, a jacket is necessary if it is cold out"

Realizing the logic behind the boy's words, Rei took it into careful consideration, "That is true. I believe I shall go and buy one"

Something wet then landed on her head. Reaching up, she didn't feel anything out of the ordinary, so she looked up. Another drop of water landed on her face as she did so.

"Rain"

Also looking up, Keevan said, "Let's get to some shelter; come on Ayanami-san"

Grabbing her hand, the mage led her into a nearby store. It was a light drizzle at the time, so the two got a little wet before they made it inside.

Shaking his head clear of water, Keevan said, "Well, looks like we get the chance to get you that jacket after all"

It didn't take long for them to get one for her: a light blue waterproof windbreaker. The boy also took the time to purchase a jacket, one orange child-sized rain coat.

"Could you not just open a portal to return to your base?" Rei asked when she saw him purchasing his coat

"My phone's been acting up, and I don't know why"

Both of them looked outside to see that the rain was still coming down. Since they could not warp anywhere, they decided to look for a place to wait until either the rain stopped or Keevan's phone worked.

* * *

Avatar Base

"I hope that wasn't your intention," Iak said in a low tone, "and that you can fix it"

In a nonchalant tone, Sai responded, "I can fix it; just give me a bit of time to work on it"

Sighing, the winged-man muttered, "Just get to work"

* * *

Library

The two had decided to stay at the library, as it was closest and would be open to late if the Avatar's phone didn't work. Keevan wandered around as Rei sat down at one of the reading tables. Looking around, she found that the silence of the library was actually comforting.

Startled out of her reverie when the mage returned with a small stack of books in his arms, Rei saw that Keevan had picked up all sorts of fantasy fiction. Taking one at random, she read the title.

"Why do you read fantasy?" she asked, "You could live in one"

Smiling, Keevan told her, "Fantasy worlds yes, but it's harder to actually live a story"

Flipping through the pages, Rei lost herself in the pages of magic and fantasy. In no time, she had finished the book she was reading and flipping through another one. She had never before felt so stimulated. As the blue-haired girl read, she began to imagine herself in the worlds that were written out on paper.

_I never realized that people could write stories of places they have never seen before so well_

It made her think seeing the characters make decisions and plans. The fictional people made decisions and choices for themselves. Rei realized that everything she had done, it was decided for her. For once, the blue-haired girl wondered about making decisions for herself.

Looking up from her book, Rei saw that Keevan was smiling as he read his book. On impulse, she placed her hand on his shoulder

Startled, the mage looked at her and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure," she said, "but I want to ask you, has anyone ever made a decision for you?"

"Sometimes," Keevan replied, "but the people who do so are those who sometimes worry about me because I'm young"

"So, you do what everyone says?"

Shaking his head, the boy told her, "No, I make my own decisions sometimes. I have to be able to take care of myself"

"Take care of yourself?" Rei asked herself

"Ayanami-san?"

"Markan, could you teach me about making my own decisions?"

A confused look on his face, Keevan told her, "I can't do that. The only way you to be able to think for yourself is to actually do it yourself"

In a quiet tone, Rei asked herself, "Can I do that?"

"Can you?"

Surprised by the sudden question from the boy, the girl began to think. Could she go against what she had been doing her life and stop following orders? On the one hand, Gendo had always been her commander and telling her what to do. Then there were the people around her. Her fellow pilots followed orders like her, but only during military operations. The rest of the time they made their own decisions.

"Will you help me?" Rei finally asked Keevan

Smiling, the mage told her, "That's what I'm here for"

The rain eventually stopped late in the evening. Setting off, Rei was surprised when her cell rang after being non-responsive for most of the day.

"Hello"

"_Pilot Ayanami, what is your location?"_

She was about to tell him when she looked back at Keevan. After talking with him about free decision, she was considering more independent actions. In a neutral tone, she told the agent her location

"But the subject has gone, the plan was a failure"

After hanging up, Rei turned to Keevan and told him, "You must leave now; the agents will be here to pick me up soon"

"Arigato Ayanami-san," the mage replied, "I had fun today with you"

Waving goodbye, Keevan opened his cell and found it to be working, "I'll see you at school"

Disappearing through the vortex, the boy missed Rei waving back.

"Arigato, Markan-kun, for today"

* * *

Okay, number 30 in the book, hope you liked it. Okay, here's the deal: Should I do a Christmas chapter (Although it isn't the season, I'll want to anyway) or should I skip forward a little? Give me your opinion. Thanks again, R&R and I'll get back when I can

Later


	31. A New Threat

Chapter 31: A New Threat

I just found out that I made a typo below, so this is it fixed. Anyway, just to remind you, I'll be doing a seperate oneshot for the Christmas Special

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters, and if there are any resemblence to people real of fiction, it is merely coincidental

Preread by YouarenotasrandomasI

* * *

Nerv

"The First Branch is okay. The data from the recon plane will be confirmed by Magi"

Loud klaxons blared throughout the complex as people scrambled to their posts to receive the incoming information. Many people worried about what the cause was, and were very much surprised by the information that they were receiving.

"The Second Branch just vanished?"

Fuyutsuki was talking into the phone in Gendo's office, shock coursing through his body at the incredible news.

"_It has just been confirmed,"_ the man at the other end said in a breathless tone,

* * *

Avatar Base

A small shrine was erected in the corner of the rooftop. It had no resemblance to any known religion upon this planet, and all of the Avatars had gathered around it. All of them had their heads bowed, even the wild Shara. They prayed for forgiveness in not being able to save the lives of those at the Second Branch in the U.S.

Lifting his head, Iak broke the silence, "It's time"

Behind him, the man hidden in the cloak nodded and told everyone, "Begin preparations at once"

"Understood"

* * *

Nerv

"The Administrative and Investigative sections are going crazy," Makoto said as he looked at his screen

Flashing all the way across, filling the screen in its entirety was the word VANISHED

"And General Affairs is in a total panic"

Misato asked, "Cause?"

"Still under investigation," Ritsuko replied, entering the room

The faux-blonde typed a few keystrokes and pulled up an aerial view of the site that was once the Second branch. The only thing there now was an enormous crater.

"There's nothing else left"

Everyone looked at the picture in awe as Ritsuko continued, "This is the only clue we have"

Maya counted down as the video from the geo-synchronous satellite played, "Three, two, one…Contact"

The video showed a massive shockwave followed by a dome of fire blasting across the land from the center of origin. After seven seconds, the video cut out, and they were left with a static filled screen.

"This is horrible," Misato muttered to herself

_So this is the tragic event that preludes the Thirteenth Angel_, she thought to herself

Maya listed the total damage assessment, "Evangelion Unit 04, its support group and all other facilities within a 90 km radius was destroyed"

Looking up from her report, she continued with some good news, "There were only about four hundred people in that area, the rest had gone away on vacation, so the facility was being run by a skeleton crew"

_ONLY four hundred_, Misato thought bitterly, _that's still too many deaths. I thought the Avatars were supposed to prevent more loss of life_

Shigeru interrupted her thoughts by telling them, "According to the timeline, the facility was field testing the S2 engine from Germany"

Maya added to it by saying, "Possible causes range from insufficient structural integrity to a calculation error. It's also possible that due to the many delays to its activation may have caused problems. There are other 37,000 possible explanations, not including sabotage"

"But," Makoto asked, "It wasn't an explosion, was it? It just disappeared"

"It might have been swallowed by a Sea of Dirac," Ritsuko theorized, "Like Unit 01 was"

Misato wanted to know about the S2 engine, "What about the restored engine?"

In a matter of fact tone, the doctor told her, "Gone"

* * *

Later

After the emergency meeting, Ritsuko and Misato were talking as they walked together

"So what'll happen to Unit 03?" Misato asked

"We are to receive it here"

When the purple-haired woman turned to the doctor with a question on her face, Ritsuko explained, "The US Government didn't want to lose the First Branch as well"

Snorting, Misato asked, "Didn't they insist to the rights of building Units 03 and 04?"

Rolling her eyes, she continued in an annoyed tone, "Making such a fuss over that and now they're pushing it all on us when it seems too dangerous? What babies"

"Wouldn't you feel nervous after something like that?" the doctor retorted

Turning to Misato, Ritsuko asked, "Do you think that the Avatars expected this to happen?"

"They must have known," the purple-haired woman said angrily, "They told us that the next Angel would happen after a disastrous event"

Flipping through her notepad, Ritsuko replied, "I know what you're thinking, and I think that they did their best. Were it not for their intervention, there would have been thousands of lives lost"

Sighing at the doctor's cold logic, Misato said, "Still, they should have told us more"

Taking a deep breath, the doctor told the other woman, "There's nothing else to do, we must begin preparations for the Thirteenth Angel"

Shaking her head, the purple-haired woman asked, "So are we using Rei's dummy plug?"

"I am working on that," Ritsuko answered, looking out of the corner of her eye

* * *

School

Lunchtime and Touji was preparing to chow down on his meal of store bought food. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Asuka and Shinji sharing a seat in the back, talking as they ate their lunch.

"This is great," the red-head said as she sampled the lunch her boyfriend had prepared

Smiling, Shinji replied, "I'm so glad you like it, I was trying something new and was a little worried you wouldn't like it"

Pecking him on the cheek, she replied in a reassuring way, "Everything you make is delicious; you shouldn't have to worry about things like that"

Rolling his eyes, Touji shouted, "Hey, newlyweds, why don't you take you're flirting outside?"

Sticking her tongue at the jock, Asuka retorted, "We happen to prefer having lunch inside, especially on such a hot day"

It was true, despite it being winter, the weather due to the cataclysm fifteen years ago have made the world into a year-round tropical retreat

"Besides," the red-head continued, "I bet you're just jealous that you don't have a girlfriend"

Amidst the laughter, Touji retorted, "Like I'd want a girl like you"

Flushing, Asuka opened her mouth to retort, but was stopped when Shinji popped a piece of fish into her open mouth.

"Come on Asuka-chan," he said, "Don't be so mean"

Pouting, the red-head swallowed and then said, "I was only playing Shinji-kun"

Making gagging noises, Touji told the two, "Geez, take your lovey-dovey talk and take it outside before you make me hurl"

"Suzuhara, leave them alone," Hikari said, interrupting the insult war, "And Asuka-chan, please try not to make too big a scene"

The jock turned away as he ripped open a bun wrapper, "Sure"

The class representative sighed as she sat with Shinji and Asuka, "I don't know what to do with him sometimes"

"Why don't you ask him out?" the red-head asked, "We know you two like each other, so why don't you just ask him directly?"

Flushing deeply, the brunette replied, "I know, but I get so flustered around him"

Sighing, Hikari looked back up and asked, "Have you seen either Sensei?"

Knowing that she was talking about Rikku and Iak, Shinji replied, "No, not really, and the others have been coming and going a lot lately"

In fact, neither Sai nor Keevan were seen in class that often. They were becoming like Rei, where they'd disappear for days only to appear in class for one day. The pilots and Hikari were becoming more worried as they refused to tell them what was going on. Even the usually talkative twins were tight-lipped as they went about their mysterious duties

"I'm sure they'll tell us when they want to," Shinji said in a reassuring tone, "It's probably just some private business"

* * *

Unknown Avatar Location

Kaitos was working on a console with Sai when Cairn popped up, "The new unit's been delivered, and is awaiting pre-checks"

"Thanks," the cripple wheezed, "But how were you able to transport it, it's too big for you to use your personal shadow gates"

Waving his hand dismissively, Cairn told him, "I carried it here, called up a couple of shadow fliers and airlifted it here"

Not looking up from his monitor, Sai asked, "Did you at least make sure nothing could see you?"

Rolling his eyes, the dark man nodded his head and said in a tired tone, "I did"

Walking away, Cairn muttered under his breath about having more experience. He passed by Iak, who was being fitted for his plug suit.

"It's quite restrictive," the Aerolan commented

A measuring tape in her hand, Rikku told him, "It would be a lot easier if you just wore the one I made from Cairn's cloaks"

Taking off the skin-tight suit, Iak told her, "In battle, I'd rather have all of my skills open to use, including my ability to fly"

Sighing loudly, the female Aerolan retorted, "You're going to be in a gigantic biomechanical robot with a meter of metal armor surrounding it, and another two or three meters of biological robot between you and the outside, what could possibly happen?"

On the catwalks above them, Shuri-Shara and Keevan were looking at the new Eva.

"Kaitos went all out on this one," Keevan noted, "It looks really deadly"

Nodding his head in agreement, the ninja replied in his doubled voice, "The next Angel won't stand a chance, but I'm sure Iak will fall flat on his face on his first go. Our unit is going to be the one to finish it"

Shaking his head, the mage told him, "The others will be there too, and we're not supposed to destroy it, remember?"

"Oh, right"

* * *

School

Class was ending for the day, and everyone was looking forward to a relaxing little break. This was not so for the pilots, who had to spend most of the weekend with testing at Nerv.

"This stinks," Asuka grumbled, "A beautiful weekend and we have to spend it underground with tests"

A chiding look on his face, Shinji responded, "I know it seems bad, so how about we go do something together as soon as it's finished?"

Linking their arms together, Asuka leaned her head against his shoulder and said, "That's a great idea"

The red-head noticed that Rei was trailing behind them and felt that she might be lonely.

"Hey, Rei!"

Looking up, the blue-haired girl asked, "Hai?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to join us."

Smiling, Shinji felt proud that Asuka wasn't so headstrong and was more willing to open up to other people. Gone was an arrogant self-centered brat, and at his side was a more caring girl.

Surprised at Asuka's suggestion, Rei took a moment to think before replying, "I would like that"

Smirking, the red-head then asked, "Then come on over, we're all friends right?"

Nodding shyly, the girl joined the pair as the headed for Nerv. Conversation was subdued for a few minutes before Rei began to take a slightly more active conversation. The blue-haired girl had opened up, but was still shy. Shinji wondered if that was because of the effect of being with the Avatars.

* * *

Nerv, Ritsuko's Office

Leaning on the doctor's desk, Misato asked, "How much time do you think we have until the next Angel?"

Not looking up, Ritsuko replied, "Why don't you ask Iak or the others, they must know more than I do?"

Sighing, the purple-haired woman said, "I haven't seen them a lot lately. They seem to be busy working on something"

"Then that should be an indicator of when it's going to attack," the doctor told her, "If they're so hard at work, then the next Angel will be coming soon"

Ignoring the subtle dig at her observation skills, Misato turned around and asked, "So what are we going to do about Unit 03?"

"The dummy plug has a few problems," the doctor told her, "So we're using the Fourth"

"The Fourth Child's been found?"

Nodding, Ritsuko added, "The Marduk report will come about tomorrow, this is just the unofficial announcement"

"So," the other woman asked, "Who is it?"

The doctor typed a few keys before she turned the screen to face Misato. When she looked at the screen, the purple-haired woman had a look of surprise

"Him?"

"Not only that," Ritsuko added, "But we have also found the Fifth Child"

Scratching her head, Misato asked, "Why do we need the Fifth, we only have three Evas"

Continuing to work on her computer, the faux blonde told her, "The Commander thought that we needed a spare pilot in case of emergencies"

Ritsuko tapped in a command and another file opened up over the previous one, "It's very unusual, finding two Children, but we mustn't look a gift horse in the mouth"

Sighing, Misato replied, "I guess so, but I just wished that we didn't have to use children to pilot those things"

"I understand what you're feeling," the doctor responded, "But those kids are the only ones capable of piloting the Evas, and I don't want to put too much of my hope with the Avatars"

"I know you don't," the purple-haired woman said in a despondent voice, "I guess that this long interlude has me feeling a little out of practice, being used to never knowing when the next Angel would appear always kept me sharp. Now that we knew when this Angel would come gave me time to relax"

"When do you not relax?" Ritsuko joked

Chuckling a little, Misato toned down as she asked, "So, when are we going to tell them?"

"We'll wait until we can see if this pilot is compatible with Unit 03 first," the doctor answered, "If he can't pilot, then there shouldn't be any reason to tell the pilots, unless he tells them himself"

"I see"

* * *

School

"Suzuhara?"

The jock jumped in his seat as he sat up, "Hai?"

The teacher told him, "You are wanted at the office"

"I didn't do anything!" Touji shouted, to the amusement of the others

"Nonetheless," the old man continued, unfazed by the boy's loud tone, "You are wanted at the office"

Many of the other students were mumbling little rumors about what Touji might have been called in for. Ignoring them, the jock stooge just waltzed out of the room and to the principal's office. Once he entered the office, he noticed that a blonde woman with a white coat sitting in front of the principal's desk.

"Konnichiwa," the woman said upon his entrance, "My name is Doctor Akagi Ritsuko"

* * *

Thanks again for your patience, send your reviews and I'll get back as soon as possible

Later


	32. Time to Rumble

Chapter 32: Time to Rumble

I'm back, and with chapter 32 to boot. Thanks for your patience as I worked on this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters, and if they bear any resemblence to other fictional characters or real people, it is coincidental

Preread by YouarenotasrandomasI

Now, on with the show!

* * *

Pen-Pen waddled around behind Misato as she checked to make sure that she had packed everything. Every once in a while he'd squawk and remind her to pack one thing or another. Once she had finished packing, Misato put her bag down and picked up the penguin.

"Now Pen-Pen, you behave yourself while I'm gone, alright?"

Saluting with a flipper, the penguin squawked an affirmative. Smiling, Misato put him down and headed out to the main room. It was quiet in the room since the Avatars were rarely seen. Sighing, the woman heard the door open as Asuka and Shinji entered

"Hey Misato," the boy greeted, "Are you going now?"

Nodding, the woman picked up her bag, "Remember I'll be gone a few days for the test activation of Unit-03, so you two behave yourselves"

"We know, we know," Asuka said in an exasperated tone, "Just go already, you don't want to be late"

Chuckling a little, Misato teased, "Why are you in such a hurry to see me leave for? Could it be that you're going to make a move tonight?"

Flushing, the red-head retorted, "Hentai! I am not like you"

Laughing, Misato put Pen-Pen into Shinji's arms and told them, "Remember to feed him, and don't forget protection"

She easily stepped out of Asuka's range when she swung at her. Laughing, the woman took her cell and warped out of the apartment. Folding her arms grumpily, the red-head muttered darkly under her breath. Smiling at her, Shinji put Pen-Pen down and patted her shoulder.

"Come on Asuka-chan," he said, "She was only teasing us, and you know that"

Pouting, the girl leaned backwards into him and replied, "I know, but she's so annoying sometimes"

Still smiling, Shinji asked, "Are you hungry? I can whip up a snack"

Smiling back, Asuka replied, "That sounds great"

* * *

Hospital

Lying in a hospital bed was a young girl. She was unconscious, and had been for some time. Sitting next to the bed, holding her hand, was Touji. His eyes were full of worry and compassion as he sat there silently.

The door opened, and a couple of doctors came into the room. Reluctantly, the jock released the girl's hand and let the doctors move the unconscious girl from the hospital room.

"Don't worry," one of the doctors said, "I promise that she'll be treated with the utmost care and receives the best medical treatment"

Nodding his head, Touji silently watched the doctors take the girl. Heaving a sigh, Touji left the room.

* * *

School

The next day at school, Touji arrived early at the gate and waited there. He was deep in thought as he leaned against the cool stone.

"Suzuhara?"

Looking up, Touji spotted Hikari standing in front of him, "Hey Horaki-san"

There was a moment of silence before the girl reached into her backpack, "Ano, I was cooking last night and I accidentally made too much. I know that you don't bring your own lunch, so I thought to bring some to you"

She was blushing as she held out a black bento box. Also red-faced, Touji took the box, thanking her in a low mumble. There was another moment of silence before the jock broke it

"I'm going to be gone for a couple of days," he told her, "I'm not sure when I'll be back"

Looking disappointed, Hikari replied, "Oh, okay"

Shuffling his feet, Touji asked, "When I get back, we could, um, go out and do something?"

Giving him a shy smile, the girl told him, "That would be nice"

Returning the smile, he walked away, saying, "I'll call you when I get back"

* * *

Avatar Base

The next few days were monotonous, if quiet. Shinji and Asuka had the entire complex to them, and entertained themselves by peeking into some of the other's rooms.

"I think that this might make more sense if the others were here," Shinji commented as he looked at chemical stand in Kaitos' room

Gently tapping at an aquarium, Asuka replied, "Yeah, it's so quiet with no one around"

Jumping when a fish with bulbous eyes popped out of the weeds, the red-head knocked into a desk and caused the stack of papers on it to spill.

"Mein Gott, Shinji, help me clean this up"

Picking up the sheets, Asuka spotted a diagram of an Eva. Bending over to join her, Shinji noted that there were other diagrams of different Evas.

"This is interesting," Shinji muttered, "I guess Kaitos-san designed their Units"

Picking up the design on the top, the red-head saw that there was a design for a Unit that they had not seen. In the margins was a handwritten note in a shaky hand.

"A new one, and its Iak's," Asuka noted, "It looks pretty nasty"

Looking at the design with her, Shinji nodded, "Kaitos has a lot of spare time; the designs look pretty tough"

"I wouldn't want to face that in combat, that's for sure"

* * *

Avatar Eva Hangar

Having finally fitted himself with a plug suit, Iak was ready to test start his Eva. It was in time too, since the time schedule put them within an hour of the Thirteenth Angel's arrival.

"How's it up there?" Kaitos asked through the intercom

Fighting down the urge to puke, the Aerolan replied, "Fine"

Looking up at his display, the cripple said, "LCL is a nasty liquid, you're not shaming yourself by admitting that it's nasty"

"It's not the worst I've experienced"

Manning another set of consoles, Sai said, "All systems are green, ready to test activate at any time"

"How's our timing?" Iak asked

Scribbling furiously on some paper and punching the buttons on a calculator just as hard, Cairn told him, "Rough estimate: forty to forty-six minutes"

"Just enough time," Kaitos said gleefully, "I can't wait to see you go into action with my greatest work"

Poking him in his bad side, causing the cripple to wince, Sai replied, "Don't get such a big head. It's impressive, yes, but that doesn't mean it's perfect"

Coughing, Kaitos shook his head and went back to work without replying. Up in the observation room, Rikku watched as Iak's Eva began to come online. For some strange reason, she has been feeling as though something terrible will happen.

* * *

Nerv

Shinji, Asuka, and Rei were being briefed about the situation. A massive explosion had occurred nearby, but due to electrical interference no one was able to locate the point of origin. Also, all communications with the areas outside of Nerv has been affected by the interference, so it was impossible to obtain outside information.

"Since we have been unable to contact Major Katsuragi or Doctor Ritsuko, I shall be taking control of field operations"

The Commander said this with an air of a priest proclaiming the word of God. Although Shinji was worried about Misato, he had to focus on the task at hand

"Pilot Sohryu will take position in the northern mountains, Pilot Ayanami will be south and east of her position, and Pilot Ikari will be south of Ayanami and to the west," Gendo continued, "This is based off of what we were able to collect from the explosion. If it was caused by an Angel, then its best path is to the south. All pilots are to engage the target upon sighting, understood?"

All three pilots responded, "Hai"

* * *

Battleground

The pilots were waiting tensely for news to arrive. Half an hour and the electrical interferences were still holding strong, though the area it was affecting decreased. No communications has been established with the lab where Unit-03 was being held.

"I'm getting worried," Shinji admitted to Asuka, "Do you see anything?"

Irritably, the red-head responded, "Nothing, and stop asking me that or I will go back there and-"

"_You will hold you position,"_ Gendo's cold voice came over the intercom

Flinching, Asuka stopped mid-sentence and replied, "Understood"

Shinji glared at Gendo's image for talking to his girlfriend like that, but did not reply. It was not best to annoy the person who would be providing direction and information for an upcoming battle. There would be plenty of time for that after the battle

* * *

Nerv

"I'm finally getting something," Aoba announced, "Image is a bit fuzzy, but it's a blue pattern and moving south"

Up in the command box, Fuyutsuki stared at the display. While it was still fuzzy, the image showed a bipedal being moving through the valley. The color brought a sinking suspicion to the old man

"Ikari, it looks like an Eva"

His face expressionless, the Commander replied, "And if it is? We still need to destroy it"

A look of worry on his face, Fuyutsuki looked away and back to the screen. He was reminded of the Angel that nearly took over the Magi and cause Nerv to be destroyed. If this was an Angel controlling an Eva, it could be their worst fears come true.

"Pilot Sohryu," the Commander announced to her screen, "The target is nearing your position, prepare to engage"

* * *

Battleground

Asuka waited tensely as she made her Eva crouch down. Sighting down the barrel of her pallet gun, she took a deep breath as she waited for the Angel to appear.

Suddenly, she began to feel rumbles that sounded like footsteps. Her finger resting on the trigger, Asuka waited until the being had come out of the mountains and into her range of fire.

Lowering her rifle, the red-head stared at the being that appeared. It was taller than a regular Eva, but appeared to be the same general design. It was also large; easily four times the mass of her Unit-02. Much of the mass appeared to be armor, but the armor appeared more like restraints than a protective surface. There was even a set of chains encircling it, binding its arms across its chest and a muzzle across its face

"That's the Angel?" Asuka muttered

"_Pilot, engage the target"_

Raising her rifle again, the red-head took a moment to aim and then proceeded to fire. Multiple rounds hit the target, many deflecting away and hitting the ground. The impact caused a large dust cloud to form, obscuring the target from view. Ceasing fire, Asuka waited until the clouds had parted and gave her a clearer target.

The clouds cleared, revealing an unharmed enemy, "Scheiße, it didn't work"

The being lumbered slowly toward her, its armor making it takes slow plodding steps. Backing off a bit, Asuka thanked her stars that she no longer had to deal with an unwieldy cable for power.

"Is it even using an AT Field," the red-head growled in irritation, "Requesting to fall back and pick up some heavy weaponry"

"_Request denied, hold position. Ayanami will be arriving at your position to provide assistance"_

Rolling her eyes, Asuka aimed at the target and pulled the trigger again. Once again the bullets had no affect on the Angel, but the girl found that it never made any move to attack. Upon closer inspection, she saw that the restraints seemed to actually bind it, making unable to do much more than walk.

"_What's wrong?"_ Shinji asked over the intercom

"The thing doesn't seem capable of attacking," Asuka replied, "I think the Avatars may have done something to it before it attacked"

Rei arrived carrying two shoulder mounted rocket launchers. Handing one to Asuka, the blue-haired girl took aim

"Shall we?"

A sinister smirk on her face, the red-head replied, "A chance to blow apart an Angel that can't even attack? Of course!"

The girls targeted the encumbered target and waited for the electronic targeting systems to lock on. Once they locked onto the Angel, both girls fired their payload into it. The force of the explosions caused both pilots to back up their Evas to escape being damaged.

"Ha ha!" Asuka laughed aloud, "Take that! Who wants some barbeque?"

"Wait," Rei interrupted, "Look"

Peering through the cloud of dust and debris, the red-head's jaw dropped as the target appeared from the fog nearly unharmed.

"Oh come on," Asuka whined, "Not even a scratch?"

In fact, the target came away with more than just a scratch. Falling away in chunks and pieces was the armor it wore. Also falling away was a small section of chains that had bound its arms. Freed from its restraint, the being lifted its right arm and flexed it, roaring through its muzzle.

"Ah, we may have a problem," Asuka said in a strangled tone as she looked at the arm.

The freed arm looked very similar to the kind that their Evas were using. A visual comparison made her feel uncomfortable

"The inner armor of the target appears to be similar to our own," Rei observed

"Yeah," the German girl replied, "I don't like this. Obviously the Avatars have done something to it, but why haven't we heard from or seen any of them?"

Both girls dropped their spent weapons and pulled out their spares, Rei with a rifle and Asuka with her pallet gun.

"Rei, you go around my left," the red-head directed, "I'll distract this bastard, see if you can puncture its armor"

Sidestepping, Asuka fired off a couple of rounds to get the being's attention while Rei snuck around to its back. Its head turned to face the red menace, but its freed arm went toward the blue Eva. With amazing speed and precision, the black beast's arm stretched to twice its original length and grabbed Unit-00 by the throat.

Caught by surprise, Rei dropped her rifle and scrabbled at the hand that was cutting off her air supply. In retaliation, Asuka emptied her clip into the beast, concentrating her fire in one spot, in the hope of breaking through the armor and hitting flesh.

"Come on, it's not even using an AT Field," Asuka complained irritably, "Shinji, we need some help, bring the heavy weapons"

* * *

Nerv

"Ikari," Fuyutsuki implored, "Send Shinji with the weapons, the pilots are in dire need of assistance"

His lower face hidden behind his clasped hands, Gendo observed the fight on the screen. Something wasn't right, and he knew it, so the only real option was to play along.

"Pilot Ikari, move to the other pilots' position. The weapons will be provided"

* * *

Battleground

Relieved to be finally sent to the front, Shinji grabbed a pair of rocket launchers and hiked to the girls' position. A couple of heavy transport helicopters followed, each with a rocket attached to their undersides

Meanwhile, Asuka struggled to break the grip the beast had on Rei's Eva. Both the red and the blue robots were tossed to the side like a couple of used tissues. Rolling their Evas to their feet, the girls were barely up before they were knocked over again. The target had swept them over by swinging its stretched arm at Eva shoulder height.

"Asuka! Rei!"

Shinji's purple Eva bounded over the next mountain, dropping to its knee to aim one of the launchers he brought. Firing all the shots as covering fire, he allowed Rei and Asuka to get away.

"About time you got here Dummkopf," the red-head said irritably, "what took so long?"

Smirking, Shinji replied, "Hey, I'm here right? Besides, I brought some gifts"

The transports that had followed him dropped their loads near the three Evas before pulling out.

"Aw," Asuka cooed as she hefted one of the launchers to her shoulder, "You shouldn't have"

Picking up one as well, Rei told the couple, "We will fire in alternating rounds, continuous fire should wear away enough of its armor and its AT Field for us to damage it"

Focusing on the task, the couple dropped their humor and aimed at the behemoth. While they were talking, it had lumbered closer to them. Taking turns, the pilots emptied their weapons. Once a pilot had finished their round, they dropped the used weapon and picked up a fresh one. They each had two launchers, which were quickly emptied.

"Alright," the red-head shouted, "That should bring that bastard down for good"

Squinting into the dust cloud they formed from their overwhelming firepower, Shinji told Asuka, "It might still be there, so I don't think we should celebrate just yet"

Chuckling, Asuka replied, "Shinji, while you are cute when you're serious, think about it. That was enough firepower to level Tokyo-3 twice over, I think you might be a little-"

Whatever she said was interrupted by a loud roaring coming from within the cloud. All three pilots stared with disbelief as the beast roared again, sounding like it was cheering with relief and rage.

"Okay, so maybe it survived," Asuka said sheepishly

* * *

There we go, another chapter down. I hope you enjoyed it, so please send me your reviews and I'll get back as soon as possible

Later!


	33. Problem!

Chapter 33: Problem!

Date: 6/24/07

ARGH!! Something is wrong with my internet connection. I have been unable to contact my beta, so everything you see was preread by me. In this case, since my grammar skills are not as great, I hope you can allow for a few errors. In any case, I'm leaving for the summer, so I won't be updating anytime until the end of summer break. Also, you're getting two chapters, a consolation for missing me for the summer.

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters, and if they bear any resemblence to real people or fictional characters in other stories it is merely coincidental

Now, on with the show!

* * *

Battleground 

Roars echoed through the mountains as the pilots watched the shadow of the monster walk towards them. The spent launchers lay around them uselessly, and the only weapon they had was Shinji's hand gun

"Damn," Asuka muttered, "What now?"

"_Pilot Ikari,"_ Gendo said over the commlink, _"You will provide a distraction while Pilots Sohryu and Ayanami will fall back to retrieve their weapons"_

"Hai," Shinji replied

Steadying his arm, he fired a round to get the beast's attention while Asuka and Rei snuck away. Before the round even struck the shadow had disappeared, reappearing above the pilots. They couldn't move fast enough, and were completely bowled over by the monster.

Getting up was a mistake; every time the three tried to get up, they were beat down. The loss of its armor gave the monster incredible speed and agility

"Scheiße," Asuka shouted as she felt her head throbbing, "Come on you stupid little bastard, hold still"

Shinji fired off a round, getting the beasts attention, "Asuka, Rei, RUN"

He felt the monster land squarely on his Eva's chest, causing him to lose his breath. Stars flashed before his eyes as Shinji struggled to catch his breath. Pain exploded in his head as the beast pounded the purple robot's head into the ground.

At one time her thought he heard Asuka calling his name, but the boy was beginning to lose consciousness. He was able to see the shadow of the monster raise its arm to finish him off.

"Shinji! Get up!"

Asuka rammed into the dark monster and knocked it off of Shinji. As they fell over, she felt something grab her Eva's leg. Impossibly, the Angel had grabbed the red Eva and was using the momentum of the fall to throw her into a mountain side.

"Come on," Asuka grumbled, "I liked you better when before you lost all that weight"

Suddenly she couldn't breath. The monster had Unit-02 by the neck and was threatening to snap her neck. Choking, Asuka scrabbled ineffectively at the nonexistent hands on her neck. She knew that she wasn't really being strangled, but the synchronization process made it so that she felt everything that happened to her Eva.

Through her shrinking vision, she saw the blurred image of the monster strangling her. Lying prostrate was Unit-01 as Shinji tried to get up. She saw a blue figure struggling against the monster, trying to get it off of her.

Smiling, Asuka was losing consciousness, but she made a note to thank Rei, if they lived through this battle.

Rei struggled in vain to save Asuka. The monster would not be deterred this time, and would finish what it started. The blue-haired girl was beaten and worn from the earlier beating, but she had to do it. Once again, she was putting her life on the line to save a person she cared for, one she would call friend

A blow to the side finally got the Angel's attention, but all it did was shrug her off. Rei was about to give up when her communication screen activated

"Rei, do you read me?"

Though the message was full of static and the screen was showing white noise, the pilot of Unit-00 recognized the voice as that of major Katsuragi

"Hai, I read you Major"

A sigh of relief, "Oh thank goodness, we've been trying to find out what was going on out there"

"An Angel is attacking," Rei told her, her voice somewhat less than calm, "We are in dire need of assistance"

"Understood," the woman responded, "Help's on the way"

Rei hoped that it would come soon, because from the look of things Asuka wouldn't last that much longer. As she looked back up, she saw another black figure crash into the Angel, freeing the red Eva from its grasp

Jumping up, Rei went over to the fallen Unit, "Sohryu, are you alright?"

Coughing, Asuka gasped for breath as she painfully pulled her unit upright, "Pretty much, how's Shinji?"

Limping over, the purple unit helped the red one to its feet, "I'll be alright, but who's that?"

Asuka's savior was thrown back, landing on its back before them. Rei recognized it from diagrams as Unit-03

"It appears that the research facility were able to find a suitable pilot for Unit-03," she told the other two

Groaning a little, Asuka muttered, "I can't believe it, I was saved by the new guy?"

"Hey, I saved your butt, how about a little gratitude?"

Shinji and Asuka were taken by surprise by who appeared on the monitor. A satisfied smirk on his face, Touji said, "What?"

"Touji," the pilot of Unit-01 exclaimed in surprise, "What are you doing there?"

The jock never got a chance to answer as the Angel he knocked down roared. In the process of turning, Touji was caught in the gut and sent flying into the other Evas.

"Get off of me," Asuka growled as she pushed the black Eva off of hers, "Move it rookie, your getting in the way"

The four Evas got up and moved away. They put a fair amount of distance between them and the Angel, but distance seemed not a factor to how quickly it can hit them. Either way, they needed some breathing room to plan their attack

"Shinji, Asuka, Rei, Touji, can you hear me?"

"Misato," Asuka shouted, "We're in trouble and you send us a rookie? And a stooge to boot"

"Hey!"

"Not now Asuka," the woman told her sternly, "He's the best we could send, especially since the Avatars haven't shown up yet"

"What? Avatars?" Touji was feeling confused, "What are you talking about?"

"We'll explain later," Shinji supplied, "Misato, have you tried contacting them?"

"Of course, but I think the problem is a their end"

Just then, several hundred tons of monstrous strength landed in front of them. The Thirteenth Angel had leaped over all of them while they were in retreat and was blocking their path. Being inexperienced, Touji was unable to stop immediately and stopped ahead of the rest.

For the first time, all of them were able to get a good look at their enemy, a foe so powerful and fast that they couldn't see more than a blur before they were struck down. The monster appeared Eva-like, with similar armoring. They now saw that the monster wasn't completely black, but had a stripe of blue running along both arms, wrist to shoulder. The top of its head was like a stretched dome, curving down over its brow and into a point, resembling the beak of a fearsome hawk. The knuckles had blunt hardened ends that caused such pain when Shinji was being pummeled, the tips of its fingers like talons. Its face was structurally similar to Unit-01, but had a more animalistic look to it.

Gulping Shinji turned to Asuka, who also had the same thoughts. They had seen this monster before. It was the design from Kaitos' desk for the production of an Eva for Iak.

"Misato," Asuka said slowly, "I think the Avatars have as much trouble as we do"

* * *

Avatar Eva Hangar 

The entire complex was in ruins. Dust and debris rained down from the roof, and even the Evas were buried in rubble. A lone figure ran about, lifting pieces of debris and looking for survivors

"Hunter!" Cairn cried, "Damn it, Keevan, Rikku! Where are you!?"

Some rubble shifted, catching his attention, "Hang on, I'll be right there"

Grabbing a piece of rubble, Cairn lifted with superhuman strength. Some dust lifted, and with it came the twins

"Shuri, Shara," the dark man cried in relief, "Thank goodness, have you seen the others?"

Coughing, the boy said, "I think Rikku was on the observation deck, the others were on the platform"

Shara put an arm under her brother's shoulder and lifted him upright, "Come on, we'll help look"

Nodding, Cairn snapped a finger. A humanoid shadow rose from the ground and slid towards the group

"Anything?"

The shadow lifted an arm and pointed towards another pile of debris. The trio ran over and moved the pieces away. A particularly large piece impeded them, taking a great deal of effort to lift it

"Are you alright?" Cairn asked as soon as the piece was lifted

Sitting there cool as a cucumber with Keevan lying on the ground next to him was Hunter. A piece of debris had landed perpendicular to the ground and held up the bigger pieces, forming a sort of concrete tent.

"I'm fine;" the military man replied calmly, "Keevan was knocked unconscious, but has sustained no severe injuries"

Sparks flew from a short distance away, and the pile of rubbish transformed into a solid hunk a couple of feet away. Helping an asthmatic Kaitos to his feet, Sai looked around and was relieved to see them

"You all alright?" Shara asked

"Kaitos is in pretty bad shape," Sai answered, "But he'll live"

Flapping sounds preceded Rikku as she dropped down to where everyone was cradling her left arm, "Is everyone here?"

"I believe so," Sai said, "I think the commander was taking a walk when this happened"

"Iak?"

All of them knew what happened, that the unit built for Iak had been taken over by an Angel, and that it had destroyed the hangar.

"Damn it Cairn," Sai shouted, "What did you do? Everything with the Eva was okay until you brought it here"

Frowning, the dark man replied, "Oh, so it's my fault a thirty story monster in on the rampage, and my best friend stuck inside it?"

"From this standpoint, yeah!"

"What about you?" Cairn retorted angrily, "I didn't hear you say that there a problem. In fact, you actually gave it the green light to go"

"Enough"

Hunter got up and stood between them, "Now is not the time to argue, we need to get out there and help the pilots. I've seen the designs for this thing; it is too much for them"

Cooling off, Sai said, "Yeah, let's see what we got"

Their options were not good. The explosion had destroyed much of the tech gear, and buried all of the Evas. The only unit ready to go into battle immediately was Hunter's green unit.

"It's no good," Kaitos had recovered and was giving a diagnostics check on all of the units, "I don't think you can beat it, not alone"

"There's no choice," Hunter replied as he climbed the ladder to the entry plug.

Within minutes, the green robot had pulled itself from the pile of rubble and was jogging to the battleground.

* * *

All of the Evas were lying around after a few minutes of close range combat. The monster roared again as it pressed its foot into the neck of Shinji's unit 

Gasping for breath, Shinji hoped that Asuka would at least survive the battle. However, he was rescued, this time by a green Eva. Disoriented, the boy took a few moments before he realized who it was that saved him. When he did, he instantly went round, helping the others back to their feet.

"Come on, let's go"

Disoriented, the other's allowed Shinji to herd them off the battlefield. The boy hoped that Hunter could hold off the monster that had taken control of an Eva.

Circling each other like wolves, the green and black Evas gauged each other before making a move. Hunter's green unit looked in bad shape, while the Angel had no damage to it.

"Shinji," Hunter called out, not taking his eyes away from his opponent, "Pull back, I'll handle him"

The monster stretched its arms, launching them like bullets. Hunter lifted his Eva's arms and knocked them away. Reaching behind, he pulled out a rifle and shot it one handed, catching the Angel by surprise. A few rounds punctured its armor, causing blood to pour out.

Leaping away, the Angel swung a claw, knocking the green unit off its feet. Rolling with the blow, Hunter dodged the monster's other claw. Firing a few rounds, Hunter was forced to drop his rifle when the black being rammed into him. Bringing the green Eva's fists together, Hunter landed a hammer blow to the spine of the beast

"Come on," he taunted, "Is that the best you got?"

Caught off guard, Hunter was thrown away. He found himself grappling with the monster, struggling to get to his feet. Suddenly, he was freed as the black Eva reared up in pain

Shinji had led the others away, and they all returned carrying whatever weapon they could carry. Now they were preparing to open fire

"Hunter," Asuka shouted, "Better move if you don't want to be Swiss cheese"

Rolling, he recovered his rifle and joined the firing squad of Evas.

"Don't give it a chance to recover," Hunter shouted, "Take it down"

There was a moment of slight hesitation in Shinji and Asuka, but they joined the firing squad and unleashed a storm of lead into the monster. Reeling, the beast fell under the hail of bullets.

Holding up a fist, Hunter shouted, "Cease fire"

The silence in the aftermath of the shooting was deafening. All of them looked at the fallen beast for any signs of life.

"Um," Touji began, "Can someone tell me who that is?"

Lowering his rifle, Hunter moved his Eva closer to the downed Eva, "I'm Hunter, an Avatar, but we can do introductions later, help me find Iak"

"Wait," Asuka demanded, "Iak was in that thing and we shot him?!"

"This thing was too tough," the pilot of the green Eva retorted, "there was no other option"

Standing over the fallen being, Hunter saw that it didn't look as damaged as it should have been

"Aw crap"

Knocked into the air, Hunter landed hard on top of Rei's Eva.

"Hunter! Rei!"

"Shinji look out!"

While he had been distracted, the monster charged at him from behind. Asuka knocked Shinji over and put herself in the line of fire. A blow to her Eva's face sent it into a mountain. Clenching its fists, the Angel raised its arms and prepared to land a powerful hammer blow to the downed Eva.

Charging to his feet, Shinji jumped in front of Asuka, preparing to take the blow

"Shinji, you baka," the red-head shouted, "Move!"

The hammer came down, and stopped. A few meters from contact, the fists just stopped. The arms seemed to be straining against some invisible force, unable to move.

"What's going on," Touji asked as he looked on in amazement, "It was pounding the heck out of us and now it's frozen?"

His Eva moving with a slight limp, Hunter sighed, "About time Iak, I was beginning to think you were in trouble"

No video showed, but Iak's voice was heard loud and clear, "I was momentarily disabled. I now have minor control"

"So," Asuka began, "What now? Since you're in there I don't think it would be a good idea to just blast away while you're trapped"

They pondered the dilemma for a moment before the Commander interrupted, _"The target is immobile, eliminate it"_

"The hell," Misato yelled, "There's someone inside that thing!"

"_It is more important to save the lives of millions than that of a single person"_

"True enough," Iak said to the shock of the others

* * *

Nerv 

Units-00, -02, -03 were either in terrible condition or not good enough to do the job. Shinji and Unit-01 was the only person who could finish the mission. However, the boy would not do it.

_Very well, then we shall try something else_

"Lt. Ibuki, initiate the dummy plug"

Nervously, Maya asked, "Are you sure sir? Doctor Ritsuko said that some testing was still needed"

In his cold monotone, Gendo said, "Initiate the dummy plug"

* * *

Battleground 

The lights in Shinji's entry plug turned red, and he lost contact with his Eva.

"What's going on," he asked when he heard a sort of whirring noise coming from behind him

The mouth of Unit-01 opened and it roared.

"Mein Gott," Asuka said in astonishment, "Shinji, what's going on?"

Pulling at the controls, Shinji replied, "I don't know"

The purple Eva then leapt forward, crossing the distance to Iak in seconds. With the black unit disabled, Unit-01 tore into it with relative ease. Grabbing its arms, the purple unit snapped them like twigs.

"Shinji stop it!" Asuka shouted shrilly

"I-I can't," Shinji responded in a panic, "Father, what are you doing?"

Jerking the controls in a futile way, he was shaken in his seat. Looking up, Shinji saw that Hunter had grabbed hold of his Eva. At the possibility of a new threat, Unit-01 roared and began to tear into the green foe. However, this foe was one that fought back. Pinning the arms behind it, Hunter forced the purple behemoth to eat dirt. Even then Unit-01 continued to thrash about

"Cut the cable," Hunter shouted

Running up, Asuka helped Hunter pin Unit-01 while Rei detached the cable from its back.

"That'll do," the military Avatar said, "Now we just got to wait till the power runs out"

Completely confused, Touji demanded, "Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?"

No one answered him because they were busy with a struggling Eva. Meanwhile, Iak fought to gain control of his monster. Somehow, the parasite inside had found the controls and were testing them out. Like a child with a new toy, it was testing everything about it, finding all sorts of secrets. Including an emergency plug ejection system

Kaitos designed the system to launch the plug a good distance away. The maximum range was four kilometers. The force from the initial thrust alone was enough to blow a super tanker in half.

The Eva was bent over when the plug was launched. Not more than a half a kilometer in front was a mountain. The plug didn't stand a chance.

* * *

There we go, nice and neat. Read and reveiw and check out the other chapter

Later


	34. Hope Lost and Found

Chapter 34: Hope Lost and Found

Hello, here's the second of my, 'hold off until I get back chapters'. Again, I was unable to contact my beta, so forgive any mistakes I may have made since my grammar skills are not as great

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters, and if they bear any resemblence to real people or fictional characters in other stories it is merely coincidental

Now, on with the show!

* * *

Everyone was stunned when the plug shattered to pieces against the mountain side. There was no possibility of survival, the plug completely crushed from the force of the impact. The monster continued to thrash about, but was in control now that it was no longer piloted.

In his plug the power had gone out, but Shinji saw the plug shatter and the LCL spill everywhere. In the darkened space, the boy shuddered as tears merged with the liquid around him

_He's dead_, the thought echoed through his mind, _Iak's dead_

Outside, Touji stared from the shattered plug to the monster it was in, "Um, what just happened?"

The injured Angel began to stalk towards them, roaring loudly. Asuka and Rei stepped in front of the purple Eva to protect its pilot from harm.

"Shit," Asuka shouted, "This is bad"

Stepping in front of the others, Hunter told them, "Clear the battleground"

The red-head was about to demand what was going on when the two cylinders on the green Eva began to move. Turning along a pivot point near its shoulders, the cylinders flipped over and stopped when they were parallel with the ground. The ends pointed at the Angel opened up and a triple barrel appeared.

The monster in front of Hunter's Eva roared in defiance as it charged forward. The barrels spun around, first slowly, then with increasing velocity. Just as the black being was upon the green unit, Hunter unleashed hell. His guns fired thousands of red-hot lead into the beast.

Literally flying away, the monster withered under the overwhelming power. When it landed, the beast attempted to get up. Hunter gave no quarter; he fired at the monster, tearing it to pieces under the sheer number of bullets it fired. It roared one final time, its body torn to pieces.

When it was over, all that was left was very small pieces of metal and bio-metallic material. All of that lay in a lake of red blood-like liquid that spewed out during its last few moments of coherence.

Guns smoking, Hunter stood back and observed the scene, waiting for any surprises that Kaitos may have put into his 'ultimate' Evangelion. Since nothing exploded in his face, he assumed that the target was silent.

"That's done," he said impassively, "You had better go get checked out, you were beaten up pretty badly"

"But," Asuka said in a shaky tone, "what about-"

"Go," Hunter commanded in a tone that brooked no argument, "I will stay and help cleanup. I will rejoin you shortly"

Before she could argue, Misato spoke up, "You better listen to him. Touji, return to the lab, we'll explain everything there"

Desperate for some answers, the jock went back, stumbling around a little as he did so. Rei and Asuka used their Evas to lift and carry Unit-01 back to Nerv. Neither of them wanted to look back at the carnage that was wrought or the wreckage of the entry plug where it crashed terminally into a mountain.

* * *

Nerv

Gendo watched as the pilots were rushed to the infirmary. He was disappointed that the scenario didn't go as planned, but the end result seemed to be the same. Shinji looked like a total wreck after the battle, glaring at him before he was sent to the medical wing.

"_Commander Ikari"_

Pressing the intercom, he asked, "What is it?"

"_We have determined the source of the explosion,"_ the person at the other end said, _"It originated from one of the mountains to the north. Apparently the Avatars had hollowed it out and were using it as a sort of hangar for their Evangelion"_

"I see"

A smile graced his face. Gendo now had the location of a major Avatar facility. If he could get some useful information from there, he could utilize it to capture them.

"_One more thing,"_ the man continued, _"The Avatars were hurt badly during the explosion, and are asking for medical assistance"_

Better and better, the Avatars were in a weak position. He can use this to his advantage. Before he could order their capture, he was interrupted by another voice on the intercom: _his voice_

"_Escort the Avatars to the medical wing. Under no circumstances are any of them to be harmed"_

Before Gendo could countermand the command, he felt someone put their hand on his shoulder. Turning, he saw that Cairn was there with a stern look. Standing behind him was Fuyutsuki and a cloaked person.

"What is going on?" Gendo asked as he saw that Fuyutsuki wasn't being held back in anyway, but Cairn had pulled him up by his shirt.

Closing his eyes, his Second said, "It's about time someone did something about you. Ikari, you have been steadily growing more inhumane with each passing day. In the beginning your intentions may have been good, but your sense of morality has deteriorated to such that you would put your own son through hell. I am sorry that I wasn't able to stop you, but I'm happy to see someone take care of you"

Smirking, Gendo countered by telling him, "If I'm gone, what will become of Nerv. I'm the only one who can outmaneuver SEELE and defeat the Angels"

"You're right," the cloaked man said, speaking for the first time since he appeared, "I am the only person capable for the job"

Pulling back his hood, Gendo was shocked to see _himself_. Every detail on his face matched his own perfectly, with one exception: he was older. The Gendo in the cloak had silver in his hair and beard, and his face had more wrinkles around his eyes.

"Well," Cairn said with a jaunty tone, "You finally get to make amends. How does it feel?"

"I'll tell you when I do," the older Gendo replied, "What will you do with this me?"

Chuckling, the dark man said, "Balance, if you take you must give back"

A portal opened up, filled with darkness. For the first time in a very long time, Gendo felt fear in the pit of his stomach.

"You can't do this," he said, struggling to pull out of the Avatar's grip

"Ah, but we can," Cairn countered, "And besides, it's a chance to travel, and learn something"

Pulling him in, the dark Avatar said, "All yours, 'commander'"

Once they had gone, Fuyutsuki said, "Welcome Commander Ikari"

"Rokubungi," he corrected, "I don't deserve to take her name"

Nodding, the old man corrected himself, "Welcome Commander Rokubungi, I look forward to working with you"

* * *

Medical Wing

After being checked out and deemed fit for continued duty, Asuka went to look for Shinji. She was worried; he hadn't said a thing ever since they pulled him from the plug. Finding his room, she peeked inside to find him lying on his back in bed.

"Shinji-kun," she said softly, coming to his bedside, "Are you okay?"

Opening his eyes and staring at the ceiling, he said, "He's dead. We could've saved him, but he's dead"

Tears welling up, Asuka took his hand, "It'll be alright"

Sitting upright, Shinji let his tears flow, "He has a little sister. Who's going to tell her…?"

"Shh," the red-head shushed, bringing him into a tight hug, "There wasn't anything you could do"

Sobbing, Shinji continued to talk, "If I hadn't attacked him, we could've saved him"

"It wasn't your fault," Asuka said sternly, "And if you keep talking like that I will personally castrate you"

In a softer tone, she continued, "Besides, it's as much our fault. We were so busy that we couldn't save him ourselves"

They held each other, finding solace and comfort in holding one another. Both of them thought of another person who would be twice as broken as they were.

"We should tell her," Asuka said finally, "It would be better"

He nodded, and followed her out of bed. They had heard that the Avatars were in bad shape, and that many of them were here for medical treatment. It would be easy to find Rikku, and tell her the bad news.

The first person they came upon was Hunter. He was the least beat up of the group, next to Cairn, and was making sure Section 2 wasn't taking advantage of the group's weakness.

"Shinji, Asuka," he greeted, "how are you two?"

"We're okay," the red-head replied, "We were wondering if you knew where Rikku was"

"She knows"

Shinji and Asuka shared an uneasy look, while Hunter continued, "She's in room 593, but you shouldn't go there yet"

Nodding in understanding, Shinji asked, "How're the others?"

"Sai and the twins will be alright," the military man replied, "Though Shuri has a slight concussion he'll be able to recover from. Keevan has a fractured arm, but he is up and helping with healing the others using his magic. Cairn and I have escaped major harm"

Jerking his head to the ER, Hunter told them, "Kaitos received the worst treatment, and is in surgery right now. Keevan is with them, so he will also recover"

"Can we see them?"

Nodding, Hunter directed them to the rooms the Avatars were staying in. The first room they came to was the twins. Shuri was holding his head while Shara was literally climbing the walls.

"Argh, I'm so bored," she shouted, "Let me out of here!"

"Sister," Shuri groaned, "You're making my head hurt"

"Gomen," Shara said in exasperation, "But I hate sitting still!"

Then she spotted the visitors, "Finally, can you get me out of here before I lose my mind?!"

Rolling his eyes, Shuri asked, "We didn't see much of the battle, what happened?"

Seeing the pilots' downcast looks, the ninja changed his mind about wanting to know. His twin, however, was not so easily deterred

"Come on, what happened?" Shara asked in a desperate tone

Shinji said in a low tone, "During the battle, Iak's entry plug was ejected"

"Oh," Shara said in a disappointed tone, "So he's fine"

"It crashed into the mountainside"

The kunoichi stopped dead in her tracks, which was the ceiling. She dropped to the ground, landing on the bed her brother sat on

"No way," she said in a stunned tone

Shuri was pale as he asked, "Is he…alright?"

No one said anything for a long time. Hunter got up and left, telling the others that he was going to check up on the others. Silence pervaded the room as the four were lost in thought.

"Does Rikku know?" Shuri asked at last

Shinji and Asuka both nodded. Sitting back, the ninja sighed and closed his eyes. His sister drew up her knees and hugged them tightly.

"I'm never really liked him," the kunoichi said, "but I never wanted him gone"

Patting her back, Shuri replied, "Don't worry. We should probably think of a way to help Rikku"

Asuka was holding Shinji's hand. She could possibly imagine what the Aerolan would be going through. Losing the one you loved, it would be like missing a piece of your body. Selfishly, she was glad to never know what that felt like.

Shara pushed her brother back onto the bed, "Ni-san, you need to rest. We can talk about this later"

Getting up, Shinji said, "We'll leave you to rest, we'll go talk to Rikku"

Closing the door on the twins, the couple walked down the halls. They walked slowly, holding hands and talking about how they would talk to Rikku. Before they knew it, they had arrived at the room Hunter had told them.

"We're here," the red-head said nervously, "Are you ready?"

Giving a nod, Shinji raised his hand to knock on the door. Just as he knocked, the door slid open, a bemused Rikku standing in the doorway, her arm in a sling

"Oh," the Aerolan said in surprise, "There you are; I was just about to go looking for you two"

Shinji and Asuka were confused at the mood of the woman. It was as if her love wasn't killed earlier today. Clearing his throat, the boy stepped up to speak

"Um, Rikku-chan," he began, "Are you alright?"

Smiling, the blonde Aerolan replied, "Of course. A couple of bruises here and there, but I'm fine"

"We came here to apologize," Shinji said, bowing his head, "We weren't able to save him"

A confused look on her face, Rikku asked, "What are you talking about? Who couldn't you save?"

Wondering if the girl was in denial, Asuka gently took the other girl's hand, "It's alright, if you need to talk, we're here"

A strange look on her face, the blonde girl asked, "Were either of you hit really hard in the head during that last battle? Because I have no idea what the two of you are talking about"

"Hey," a voice called from behind Rikku, "Let them in"

Both Asuka and Shinji jumped in surprise at the sound of the voice. A look of understanding on her face, the Aerolan gestured for them to come in. Stepping into the room, the couple stopped and gaped in amazement.

Lying on the bed, encumbered by bandages and casts and IV drips was Iak. His forehead had a bandage wrapped around it as he turned to look. Elevated, the Aerolan's right arm was completely encased in plaster, as was his left leg. A splint was on his left wing, folding it against his back.

"But how," Asuka asked in a daze, "We saw the plug smash into the mountain"

"The plug, not me," Iak answered, "Although I may have cut my exit a little close"

* * *

Flashback

Struggling to wrest control from the parasitic Angel, Iak felt for the emergency exit. Priming the bolts, he felt himself being ejected from the behemoth. Struggling under the G-forces, the Aerolan fired the explosives that were attached to the end of the plug.

The end blew off, and Iak was sucked out of the plug by the sudden rush of wind. Spinning around uncontrollably, he straightened his wings as best he could as he attempted to balance himself. The lack winged Aerolan was able to straighten his wings enough to get himself level.

Despite his wings wrapped in waterproof material, Iak was able to glide to the ground. Unfortunately he was flying at terminal speed, and was running out of airspace to slow down in.

Bracing himself, Iak weaved back and forth the best he could in his constricting suit. He hit many branches along his way and finally stopped by hitting a huge mound of dirt. Groaning, he pulled his good arm up and pulled himself out. Before losing consciousness, Iak was able to activate a tracking beacon before losing consciousness.

End Flashback

* * *

"So you had an emergency plan?" Shinji asked in amazement

"Partly," Iak answered, "Like I've always told Rikku, I like to keep a few options open"

Rolling her eyes, Rikku retorted, "I know, but no amount of options saved you from being injured"

Nonplussed, the man on the bed said, "Anyway, I know why you two came here, and it's alright"

Giving them a smile, he said, "None of this was your fault. It might have happened regardless, and in another world it probably did, but don't blame yourselves for what you couldn't control"

Gulping, Shinji shook as he said, "But…"

"No," Iak interrupted, "Don't apologize, it's not alright because it's nothing to apologize for"

Leaning up as far as he could, the Aerolan told them, "I am alive, be happy. If I was dead then you could apologize all you want, but I am still alive, and I will continue to live"

Pushing him back into bed, Rikku said sternly, "And if you want to live, then stay down and rest"

"And you two," she continued, looking at the pilots, "Get some rest; it's been a long day"

Rushing out of the room followed by Rikku's death glare, Asuka and Shinji panted for breath as they stood outside. Suddenly, the red-head laughed, causing the boy to look at her

"Hunter said that she knew, and she did," she explained, "we completely misunderstood"

Once he got it, Shinji began to laugh too. There was nothing like the sound of children laughing

* * *

Thanks for reading, I await your comments and reveiws. To remind you, I will not be updating during the summer, so you will have to wait until the break is over for anything new. Thanks again for your patience

Later-Much


	35. Recovery

Chapter 35: Recovery 

HELLO EVERYBODY!! HOW WAS YOUR SUMMER??

Wow, it's been awhile, how's everyone been doing? Well, it took a long time, but here's your newest installement of everyone's favorite story Deviance from the Norm. HOORAY!

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters, and if they bear any resemblence to real people or fictional characters in other stories it is merely coincidental

Preread by YouarenotasrandomasI

* * *

The new/old commander of Nerv sat behind the giant desk as he stared at the picture engraved along the ceiling and floor.

"The tree of knowledge," he mumbled as he let his memories flow before his eyes.

Knowledge was indeed power, but like the old saying went, power comes at a cost.

"Fuyutsuki," he called to his aide, "You have not asked me any questions"

Standing next to him with his hands behind his back, the old teacher replied, "If there is something you wish to tell me, you would. It is not polite to ask a personal question when someone does not wish to talk about it"

Smiling behind his hands, Gendo leaned back into his chair and stared out the window at the view of the underground fortress, "I missed you, old friend"

Chuckling, Fuyutsuki replied, "Technically it's only been a few minutes for me, so I can't really say the same for you"

Silence descended on the room between the two men. Then, Gendo opened a drawer hidden beneath 'his' desk. Reaching in, he had a satisfied smile as he pulled out a mostly full fifty year scotch.

"Care to join me?" Gendo asked, also pulling out a pair of shot glasses.

Surprised by his offer, the Second replied, "Alright"

Pouring a small measure into the glasses, Gendo and Fuyutsuki slowly drank the harsh liquor, savoring the taste. Around the third cup the new Commander spoke up, surprising Fuyutsuki, who was not accustomed to an open Gendo.

"The version of the world I came from was destroyed. Seele's plans for Instrumentality was a failure, and so was mine"

Staying quiet, so that Gendo could proceed, Fuyutsuki poured another round for them. Taking a sip, the Commander sighed as he continued

"I was a fool for thinking that I could reach into the realms of the gods," he said, staring into his glass, "I threw so much away to get her back, but in the end, I lost everything"

Sighing, Gendo drained the rest of his glass and said softly, "After the last Angel was killed, Seele attacked, catching us off guard. I was with Rei in Central Dogma, preparing my Third Impact. Everything happened so fast after that. From what I was able to gather afterwards, the mass produced units had devoured Unit-02 and had captured Unit-01"

"After that, Third Impact occurred," he continued, a glazed look in his eyes as he recalled that day, "One unplanned by either me or those old fools. Shinji was given the power, the ability to decide what the fate of humanity would be during that moment. And during those few moments of perfection, I saw her again"

Fuyutsuki felt bad as he saw the look of grief and despair on his old student's face. He could easily understand what Yui would say to him in their moment of oneness.

"It was terrible," Gendo continued, "Her rage at me was great and terrible. In that one moment of eternity I was sentenced to a hell unknown to man. And then I was sentenced to another hell"

Taking the scotch, he poured himself a full glass that he downed in one gulp. Grimacing at the sharpness, he sighed as he began the next part of his monologue

"I was sent back to earth, along with Shinji and Asuka. I don't know why he brought me there, or maybe it was my desire to escape Yui, but we were left there. I tried to make amends, but he refused my aid and took her away. I searched for them for weeks, hoping that it wasn't too late"

A tear fell from his eye, surprising Fuyutsuki again at the sharp contrast to the Gendo he had grown to know.

"She was badly injured during the event, and she died from her injuries. Shinji was overcome with such grief that he could not save the one he loved. When I finally found them, he had taken his own life"

Placing a hand over his eyes, Gendo recalled that day with such clarity, "He was smiling, Fuyutsuki, his face at peace. Shinji followed her into the beyond, and he had found his happiness"

"I could not follow, not after what I had done. So I endured in that blasted wasteland that was once earth. For years, I lived, hoping to be redeemed, and allowed a chance to make things right. And then they came"

Turning to look out the window, Gendo asked his aide, "Do you know what the Avatars do when they find a world where life had been blasted away?"

"I believe that I do not know," the other man replied

"They rebuild it," the Commander replied simply, "They clear away the old ruins and debris and help new life to grow upon it, whether by helping native flora and fauna grow and evolve or by allowing other civilizations to move to it. When they discovered me, I was at the brink of madness, and thought them no more than illusions conjured by my lonely mind"

Pulling off his gloves, Fuyutsuki saw a scar encircling the wrist of Gendo's right hand. He knew that was where the key to Instrumentality was kept, and was not really surprised to see the deformity and burns were gone.

"I was given a choice: Continue to live alone in this land until I die, or I could leave and live a new life," Gendo continued, staring at his hand, "It was as if the gods had finally taken pity on an old fool, and gave me a chance to redemption"

The old man sighed as he remembered what happened on that fateful day

* * *

Flashback

He sat there in his tattered old clothes as he stared in awe. Standing before him was a man and a woman in a world where he was supposed to be the only person left in existence. The man looked around and gave a sigh of sadness

"To think, a whole world was made devoid of life," the woman said, "It is so sad. To think what these people could have accomplished"

"I know," he said, "but there is some hope, look"

The man pointed at Gendo, who could only stare in surprise at being discovered so quickly. The man approached, and the former commander could see that he was encased in armor. Taking off his visored helmet, Gendo saw a man in his late twenties approaching him

The armored man appeared young, yet his hair was a shade of gray and his green eyes spoke of many things they had seen.

"Hello," the stranger greeted in a different voice, "My name is Triad Krad, and who might you be?"

Receiving no reply, he sighed. The woman suddenly appeared next to them in a rainbow of light. She wore robes like those of Greek times. Her hair was blonde and her eyes the same shade of green as his

The woman asked impetuously, "Is he deaf or dumb? Or maybe he is both?"

Gendo heard the first male voice again, coming from the helmet the one called Krad carried, "My scanners indicate that he is in moderate health. He is quite capable of speaking, so he must be surprised or shocked by our presence"

Sighing, the woman retorted, "Well some of us don't have your scanners, so how was I supposed to know?"

"I do not understand," the helmet responded in its emotionless tone, "You are an AI built into me, you have near complete access to all my functions"

"Hah," the image of the woman said, "_Near_, is right"

Sighing, the man interrupted what would have been an intense argument, "Stop it, both of you"

"W-who are you?" Gendo asked, finally regaining his voice

"I believe I told you my name," the man with gray hair said, "They are my others, Triad Andromeda and Triad Nathaniel"

The first was directed at the image of the woman, the second to the helmet he carried. To say Gendo was confused would be an understatement

"What do you want?"

"We were doing a routine scan," the helmet responded. A pair of green eyes appeared on the visor and stared at him from its position in Krad's arms

"It was our turn for patrols," the AI continued, "we go and check on all of the worlds, realities, universes, and so forth. This world, aside from you, has no life. We came to access this world and see what could be done with it"

Standing up, Krad looked around, "It's been ruined, but we've worked on worse than this"

Flabbergasted, a word not usually associated with the once feared man, Gendo asked, "You can bring them back? Return the earth to normal?"

Andromeda answered his question, making wide gestures at the ruined landscape around them, "We do not 'return' things to normal. Of the rules we have placed, one states that we do not undo anything. We allow nature to run its course, helping out when needed. When a world ends, we simply build a new one"

"A rule of thumb," the armor interrupted, "We don't do anything unless all sentient life has been wiped clean. So you have an option"

"You can continue to live in wasteland until you die," Andromeda picked up, "At which point we will come back"

"Or," Krad said, "We move you to another reality, and then begin to work"

As if to prove their honesty, he reached down and picked up Gendo's damaged arm and placed his palm on the stump. A glow emanated from where he touched, and when Krad removed his hand, Gendo saw that he had a new hand. Without a second thought, he then got to his knees.

"Take me home," he begged, "Allow me the chance to make it up to my son, the ones he loved, and everyone else"

Startled Krad looked at his associates, "Wow, that was startling"

Eyes frowning in concentration, Andromeda said, "He wants to repent. That's a bit more difficult than simple relocation"

"We must confer," Nathaniel said, "If you would"

The gray-haired man replaced the helmet back on his head, as Andromeda disappeared in a rainbow of light. For a few long minutes, it was just the standing figure and the kneeling figure, silence stretching across the space. Finally, they came to a decision.

"It has been decided;" all three of their voices said at once, "Take my hand"

Reaching out with his trembling hand, Gendo grasped the strangely warm metal gauntlet and was pulled to his feet. Suddenly, a hole opened up below the two. Looking down, the frightened man saw that the abyss continued on endlessly. The next thing he knew, his body began to break apart.

"Do not fear," the one who was three said, "Each Council has their own mode of travel, and this is mine. It is not painful, so please try to relax"

Gendo watched as both of their feet broke apart and was sucked into the vortex below. Then, their legs broke apart, following the feet. By the time the disassembly reached their chests, he could not hold it in any longer and shouted in terror, though he felt no pain, no sensation at all. His scream echoed into nothing as the remains of their bodies was quickly broken apart and sucked into the vortex.

* * *

End Flashback

Fuyutsuki could not help it; he chuckled as he thought of Gendo screaming in terror. He was surprised as the other man smiled in amusement as well.

"I know," Gendo replied, "It was a silly thing to be afraid of. And at the end of the trip, we were at what they called, Central Station. It was a culmination of every civilization, species, and culture combined together in a peaceful organization."

Draining another glass of scotch, Fuyutsuki asked, "It must have been amazing, but what happened next?"

"Ah, what happened next was quite an adventure as well"

* * *

Flashback

A scream echoed into existence as a hole opened up in the sky. Pieces of metal and man fell from the hole and quickly reassembled the two figures. Gasping for breath, Gendo pulled his hand away from the metal encased figure. Lurching around, he turned and had his breath taken away. He was standing in the middle of an enormous structure, a thousand times larger than the cave Nerv was located back in Tokyo-3.

The first thing to cross his line of sight was a flying machine, causing Gendo to jerk around and follow it, causing him to bump into someone

"Excuse me," the person said in a drawl

The figure he had bumped into was a giant tree. Its face was old and weathered, as it used its arm like branches to gently push to bewildered man to the side

"Watch your step," it told him, "Newcomers are always bumping into people. It's normal, but it still pays to be careful"

Gendo then noticed the wide array of beings that were crossing the floor. All shapes and sizes, they came and went. The floor he stood on was filled with circles of various sizes. He watched as beings came in and left by these circles.

"Come along," the Council who had brought him here said, "You had best not get lost, not here anyway"

They then left what the armored man called the crossing floor. As they walked, Gendo stared in amazement and Krad, the main mind he supposed, explained things

"We will take you to temporary quarters until we find a suitable world for you," he said, voice not muffled by the helmet he wore, "We'll find you a guide to show you round"

Just then, a small boy ran up, "Third Council Triad, how are you?"

"Ah, if it isn't the Second's young apprentice," Andromeda's voice said

"I've finally passed my test," the boy said proudly, holding out a card, "I'm an Avatar now!"

The boy, who appeared no more than ten, dressed as one would think a mage would: blue robes, pointed hat, and he carried a staff a head taller than him. He had brown hair, and wore glasses over his green eyes.

"Good job," Nathaniel's voice congratulated, "Your parents would have been proud"

"Thank you," the boy said, "Oh, who's this?"

"Ah, perfect timing," Krad said, "Keevan, I need you to do a very special job for me. This is Ikari Gendo, though he prefers Rokubungi as his surname, and he's here temporarily until we find a new reality for him to situate in"

"And you want me to be his guide while he's here," the boy finished intuitively

Nodding his head, the three responded in unison, "Thank you. We'll let you know when we finish the paperwork what to do with him. Until then, keep him out of trouble"

"Yes sir," the boy responded, giving them a salute

Without another word, the armored man left. Holding out his hand, the boy introduced himself

"My name is Keevan Markan. Nice to meet you," he introduced with a smile on his young face

Confused, Gendo asked, "How did he know my name?"

"Oh," the boy said, dropping his hand, "It's a side-effect of his mode of transport. He disassembles and reassembles your personal data during the trip, so he pretty much knows everything about you"

The boy waved his hand, "Come on then, let's get this tour started, Mr. Rokubungi"

Following the child, Gendo began to learn more about the world he had just entered

"Um, how long will it take before I can…" Gendo tried to ask, but could not find the words for the question

A mechanical bird flew down and dropped a thin stick into the boy's hands. A holographic screen appeared with writing appearing on it. Keevan read the thing for a few moments before choosing to reply

"Since you want to 'repent', you'll need an alternate version of your world," he explained, "It's impossible to allow two of the same exact person of object in a single reality, so we'll need to find a version of you to replace"

"Oh"

Smiling, Keevan said, "Don't worry, until then you can perform community service. It's hard, but it helps a whole lot"

"Um," Gendo began nervously as he stared at the massive space around them and the myriad of beings walking around them

"Don't worry," the boy said, "I'll be there with you, and everyone needs a friend"

A weary smile appearing on his face, the old man replied, "Arigato"

* * *

End Flashback

"Amazing," Fuyutsuki said, "We had figured that the boy might be an Avatar, but to think that he was the first Avatar you met?"

"He was also the first friend I had for years," Gendo added, "That is why I asked that he be along for this mission"

Silence descended again as they drank their scotch. They decided to put away the alcohol, especially since the day had almost ended.

"So," Fuyutsuki asked as they finished their last glass, "What'll happen to the other Gendo?"

"He will take my place in the wasteland," he responded, "He will most likely die and the Avatars will finally rebuild the world"

As they took the elevator to the monorail that would take them to the surface, Fuyutsuki asked, "What will you tell the others? And what will you do about your son? He will hate 'you' for nearly forcing him to kill his friend"

"Do not worry my friend," Gendo said in the confident tone that he shared with the previous Commander, "I have set aside many plans. I swore to myself that I would make things right, and I shall"

Looking at him, Fuyutsuki saw that he had gained the wisdom that came with his years. He may truly be able to redeem himself, and the old man truly wished for it to end on a good note for him and his son.

* * *

YES, ANOTHER CHAPTER DOWN!! Thank you all for your patience, I will be back with another chapter for this and for my other story. Until then, send your reviews and keep reading!

Later!


	36. Back in Action A Little Too Soon

Chapter 36: Back in Action; A Little Too Soon

WTF. Come on, only TWO PEOPLE reviewed? Ok, maybe there's about a hundred of so people out there who read it, but COME ON! Anyway, I'm back with another chapter. Big thanks to the ONLY PEOPLE who reviewed: bannonluke and bigguy1234

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters, and if they bear any resemblence to real people or fictional characters in other stories it is merely coincidental

Preread by YouarenotasrandomasI

Now, on with the show!

* * *

Alarms blared as Nerv techs and other workers ran about. Misato ran up to the control room and demanded a status report.

"Unbelievable," the woman muttered, "It hasn't even been a day and we have another disaster to deal with"

On the main screens was an image of a monstrous behemoth. It was bigger than many of the other humanoid Angels, and seemed double the mass of a Nerv Eva. A silver ribbon hung from either side of its body in place of its arms. Right now, the behemoth was rapidly moving toward the area where Nerv was situated

"Pattern Blue, it's an Angel," Makoto shouted, his appearance quite disheveled, "The city's defenses are activated, but it's moving at a fast pace toward our position"

On the screen, buildings opened up to reveal missile launchers that fired rapidly a hail of explosives onto the threat. Due to the Angel's fast pace, a percentage was missing. The missiles that hit had little effect against it's AT field.

"Why do we bother?" Misato muttered under her breath before asking, "Where are our pilots?"

Maya answered her without looking up from her screen, "Shinji and Asuka are in the locker rooms; Rei and Touji are ready in their respective units"

"How are the Avatars?"

It was then that Sai appeared, his laptop in his arms, "Only Hunter's Eva is good to go, and he's waiting at elevator 5 for launch"

From his position above everyone else, Gendo ordered, "Launch Evas 00 and 03 as well as Hunter's unit"

Surprised by the sudden change in attitude from the commander, being more lenient with the Avatars, Misato paused for a moment before recalling the situation they were in, "You heard him, Evas launch!"

* * *

Hangar

_"Due to our lack of preparation, you're all going to be launched within Terminal Dogma,"_ Misato told the pilots over the video com, _"You'll find weapons upon your arrival"_

"Understood," Rei and Hunter replied, with a hesitant Touji right behind them. The poor jock hadn't had enough time to be told the whole story before being thrust back into action.

All three suddenly felt major g-forces as the elevators launched their respective units to the battleground. Upon arrival, Hunter and Rei took up positions near the racks of weapons that appeared moments after they did. Touji fell flat on his face taking the first few steps

Sighing, Hunter told the boy, "Stay down there and man the heavy weaponry. We don't want you to get in the way"

Rei picked up a rifle and reported, "The target has arrived"

At her words the 'roof' of the underground facility blew in. Floating from the hole it created, the Fourteenth Angel loomed over the land, like some demented vulture. Pulling his personal rifle from behind his Eva, Hunter ordered them to fire

* * *

Nerv Hangar

Shinji and Asuka were waiting in their respective Evas, waiting for prelaunch checks to finish

"Scheiße," the red-head said irritably, "would it hurt to get at least a few days before another attack?"

Both of them had recovered from the Thirteenth's attack, but were apprehensive about being sent out to battle again. Misato appeared on their view screens and told them to prepare for combat. The screens cut out as they prepared for launch.

_"Shinji-kun,"_ Asuka's voice came over the intercom, _"Take care of yourself"_

"You too," he replied, "don't do anything rash"

Anything else was cut off as Shinji and Asuka were hit by high g-forces incurred by the launch. When they reached the surface, they saw that everyone who had deployed earlier had scattered and were taking pot shots at the Angel.

"So nice of you to join us," Hunter said sarcastically, "How about giving us a hand here"

The Angel fired off a dozen shots in rapid succession, leveling the cover Touji was using. He ran as best he could as the Angel floated towards him. Its arms unfolded, creating two very long silver ribbons. The ribbons then flashed towards the stumbling black unit and cut its left leg off.

Touji screamed in pain as his Eva stumbled and fell. Before the Angel could finish him off, Rei rammed into it from the side. The Angel turned its ire on the blue Eva and whipped its ribbon blades towards her. Shinji and Asuka used this distraction to grab Touji and haul him off the battlefield.

"Gomen," the jock said with a grimace, "I've just been a nuisance, huh?"

"Scheiße," Asuka said in a teasing tone, "You couldn't be a bigger nuisance unless your dumb ass was inside one of our Evas while we were piloting"

Chuckling, Touji responded, "Well, at least I'm off the field, the Angel will most likely go after you, devil-girl"

_"Anytime before the next century would be nice,"_ Hunter called out

The Angel fired its beam a few times as the green Eva scrabbled out of range. The twin cylinders on its back rotated and opened up to fire its hellish barrage on the behemoth. Moving towards Hunter at a fast clip, the Angel's AT field blocked all of the high velocity lead bullets.

Picking up a rocket launcher, Asuka fired off the payload at the Angel. As with the other weapon, the high explosives did little damage to the target.

"This is getting us nowhere," Asuka complained, "Are we even lowering the damn Angel's AT field?"

Shinji dodged a few energy blasts that leveled the land behind him, "The only thing that might work is getting into close range with it, but it's suicidal"

_"I have a plan,"_ Hunter said, rolling from his cover in the hills, _"I will charge in and provide a distraction. The rest of you will come in from its blind spot and attempt to neutralize its field so that I can plant an explosive onto its core."_

As an exclamation point, the Angel fired one of its beams and blew a few more craters into the landscape. Without waiting for any form of reply, Hunter charged in, firing all cylinders into the monstrous beast. Flailing its ribbon blades, the Angel cut off one of the green unit's rotary guns off its shoulders just as it rammed into the enemy.

At that exact moment, the pilots all charged and piled onto the monster, their combined might enough to rip the AT field open enough for Hunter to plant his explosive.

"Hey Hunter," Asuka asked as they all rushed off before the explosive went off, "How big is this explosion going to be?"

Her answer was promptly given as huge waves of pressure hit the Evas from behind, pushing them forward a good distance. They had a few seconds before the blast itself was upon them. The AT fields protected the Evas from being incinerated, but they still felt a good deal of heat emanating through the armor of their robots.

When the heat finally faded away, the landscape had changed completely. A good three kilometers of earth was blasted of all vegetation and another four was covered with ashes. A cloud of debris filled the atmosphere, blocking vision of the crater's center

"Never mind," Asuka said in a daze, "Well, that takes care of that"

* * *

Nerv Command Center

Most of the bridge crew was watching the main monitor in awe at the destruction. It was equal to an N2 explosion, and with similar results.

"Do you have anything on the sensors?" Misato demanded

After a moment of entering values into the computer, Shigeru replied, "There's too much debris, we can't get a proper signal"

_"What are you guys worried about?"_ Asuka asked over the intercom, _"That Angel's toast, no way it could have survived-"_

* * *

Outside

Hunter rammed into Asuka, narrowly avoiding the silver ribbon that lashed out from the cloud of debris. The ribbon quickly retracted and the Angel itself exited the cloud of dust

"Move it!" Hunter ordered, narrowly avoiding another attack

Shinji and the girls quickly retreated, covered by Hunter using his one remaining shoulder-mounted weapon. Plowing straight through the hail of lead, the Angel sent the green Eva sprawling to the ground. Before he could recover, the monster fired one of its beams in close range, blasting his left arm off

_"Rei, see if you can get Hunter out of there while Asuka and Shinji distract it,"_ Misato said, the strain evident in her tone

Before she could follow her command, Rei was struck down by the Angels attack. Hunter grabbed it and tried to slow it down, but got a strike to the head for his efforts. Asuka and Shinji double-teamed the monster and pushed it away and down.

"Come on," Shinji said, pulling Hunter up, "We have to fall back"

Meanwhile, Asuka and Rei were playing a sick game of tag, where getting tagged meant death. Zipping across the battlefield, the two girls were able to avoid getting hurt, but it was a matter of time before they were caught. Shinji returned, carrying a rifle and firing at the Angel.

The dangerous game continued for a few more minutes before Rei, tired from running about, tripped and fell. The Angel took advantage of this and attacked her

"Rei," Shinji shouted in dismay, "Look out!"

* * *

Nerv Command Center

There was no time; Rei's head was about to cloven in two and there was no way to cut the neural connections in time. Although it wasn't her head being cut, the pain could be enough to send her into shock.

"Neural connections cut," Sai said smoothly as his fingers flew across his keyboard, "Rei's fine now"

"How the hell did you do that?" Ritsuko asked in amazement, "You only had seconds before she was struck"

Not looking up, the boy replied, "I keep data packets that can be activated on a moment's notice. It's pretty simple once you get the idea. Hang on"

Another flurry of fingers and Sai said, "Neural connections cut, you alright Hunter?"

_"Peachy,"_ he replied over the com irritably

"What?!" Misato shouted in dismay, "Shinji and Asuka are by themselves!?"

* * *

Battlefield

After Hunter's Eva had its head cut in half, Shinji and Asuka began to feel dismay at ever winning.

"Asuka," Shinji said, "We have to fall back"

_"No way,"_ her image said, _"We can't, and you know that"_

In truth, he did know, but he wanted Asuka to be safe back at base. Sighing, he nodded and joined her to face the monstrous Angel.

"Gomen Asuka-chan," he said, landing a blow to her red unit's temple

As the red Eva reeled from the impact, Shinji had his unit charge the Angel. He vaguely heard Misato ordering him to retreat, but cut off communication. If the situation was different, maybe he wouldn't have to go through this suicidal run, but there was no choice

Charging in, Shinji lost one of his arms. Gritting his teeth, he continued forward and crashed into the Angel. Using his one hand, he slammed the monster against the ground and dragged its immense girth through the hills. The Angel recovered and fired one of its beams, but Shinji narrowly dodged it and began pummeling the beast

It looked like he had the upper hand. The boy was pummeling the Angel as it attempted to hit him with its arms. Shinji kept pushing; he had to, because he didn't want anyone else getting hurt because of these monsters.

Suddenly, the power shut down, his Eva going silent, "What, what's going on?"

Unknown to him, the Angels last energy blast had severed his cable, and he had gone into emergency power reserves without his knowing. With the Eva having gone silent, the Angel got back up. Wrapping its ribbon around the Eva, it swung him around, tossing him into the air to land heavily on the ground.

By this point, Asuka had gotten back to her feet and was looking for Shinji so that she could pummel him for hitting her. The thought left her mind when she saw that the Angel was tearing Unit-01 apart. Her rage at him was replaced with fear as she ran forward, intent on saving the boy she loved.

* * *

Command Center

"Eject the plug," a harried Misato ordered, "Hurry!"

"We can't" Makoto said despairingly, "We can't get a signal from the plug"

"No," the woman said weakly as she watched the Angel blast the purple Eva's armor apart

Asuka's red Eva jumped onto the monster's back, but was shaken off. When she charged again, the crew could only watch as the Angel ripped the Eva's arms off and then hit her with a powerful energy blast.

"Unit-02 is silent," Maya said in a shaky voice

* * *

Infirmary

Iak lay in bed as Rikku calmly peeled apples. The calm was only an illusion as the knife she held shook in her hands. Iak's uninjured arm rose up and gently took the knife from her hands.

"It'll be alright," he said calmly, "Don't worry"

Sighing, Rikku put the apple down and took hold of his hand, "I know I shouldn't, but I just can't. First you're hurt and now all this had to happen"

The door to the room opened, and Cairn stepped in, asking, "Do you want backup alpha prepared?"

Iak shook his head, "It'll be fine. Trust me"

* * *

Battlefield

Shinji was furiously pulling at his controls, hearing and feeling the impacts upon his Eva. There was a moment of silence as the attacks ceased, but then they started up again just as fiercely. He knew, deep down, he knew the Angel had stopped to attack Asuka, and that made him afraid.

"Move, move, move," he begged the silent beast, "Please move, I have to save them, save her"

His voice trailed off, despair filling him to the core, as the pounding the Angel gave cracked the plug he was in. Then he felt it, the warmth of someone embracing him. Shinji remembered the last time he felt this, when Iak helped him escape the other Angel's shadow.

"You again," he said to the unseen presence, "Will you help me?"

He felt the being give its permission, and then he felt the surge of strength flowing through his body. And then he felt nothing as he blacked out.

Outside, just as the Angel was about to give another blow, one of its ribbons was grabbed onto by the Eva. Dragging it roughly forward, the purple unit stabbed the monster with its horn. The purple unit growled menacingly as its eyes flashed with a deadly glint. It then lashed out with its feet, kicking the Angel and ripping one of its arms in the process. Its jaw opened up, revealing a gleaming row of jagged teeth as its animalistic roar sounded throughout the area

* * *

Command Center

Gendo watched with mixed horror and resignation. This Angel was one of the strongest, its body designed as the ultimate fighting beast. It was possible to defeat it if the other Avatar Evas were prepared, but the backup plan was one that he had seen before: absorption

"Impossible," Maya said, staring at her screen in disbelief, "Shinji's Synchro rate is 400 percent!"

"What!" Ritsuko shouted in surprise, "That can't be right"

"What's going on," Misato demanded, "Ritsuko, what does this mean?"

Still in a dazed state, the doctor answered, "It means that she's awake. The Eva is awake"

Sai, from his laptop, didn't look up and continued to type at his computer. He knew what she meant, even if not everyone else did. The Gendo they escorted had told them everything, including this event. So it wasn't really a surprise to have a fully sentient Eva on the loose, what was a surprise was the fact that his ego scanners could still detect Shinji's presence in the entry plug.

_Interesting, _he thought, _does this mean he isn't going to be stuck for a month?_

With that thought in his head, Said continued to monitor the situation as the others watched the Eva tear apart the Angel

* * *

Battlefield

After using the 'arm' the Eva ripped off to regenerate its own, the purple unit then began to advance towards the Angel on all fours. The monsters collided again as the Eva used its newly regenerated arm to rip apart the Angels gut. The Angel roared in pain as it attempted to fire its destructive energy blasts, but was interrupted as the purple monster slammed its armored fist into the Angels face, cracking it. The Eva began to pull on the face, ripping half of it off.

With the Angel lying in a pool of its own blood, the purple Eva let out a roar of victory as it leaned down to claim its prize. Opening its mouth full of sharp teeth, the awakened beast tore into the Angels side, tearing off huge bloody chunks of meat.

In the command center, everyone was horrified to see the Eva devouring the Angel. Maya gagged and tried to stop herself from hurling

"Maya," Ritsuko said in a solid tone, "go to the washroom; Makoto will take over for you"

Nodding, the young woman ran from the room as Makoto gulped down every meal he ever had

"Ritsuko," Misato asked, with a shudder, "What is it doing?"

The answer was covered by a particularly nasty wet ripping sound as the Eva ripped a round organ and swallowed it. Pale faced, the Nerv crew all looked away as the monster roared again. Suddenly, loud clangs were heard as pieces of the Evas armor plating burst off of its body.

"Oh god," he doctor said in horror, "It's breaking the restraints"

Thoroughly confused, Misato demanded, "What the hell are you talking about? What restraints? And what the hell is going on?"

Finally regaining her composure somewhat, Ritsuko answered, "The armor the Eva wears doubles as a restraint, allowing us to control it. But its broken free now that it has consumed the Angels S2 core"

"And about it awakening?"

"You know that the Eva goes berserk when it reaches 100 percent?" Ritsuko asked, "Well, higher than that, and the Eva becomes self-aware; sentient"

In shock, Misato asked dazedly, "What are we doing to these kids? What is going on?"

* * *

TADA, chapter 36 is complete! I hope you enjoyed it, and that MORE of you will review. All are welcome, but flames are ignored. Until next time:

Later!


	37. A New Leader

Chapter 37: A New Leader

Is there enough words to say how frustrating it is to not update? How about how to say sorry?

Here's a gift for for you all who were patiently waiting for this chapter to come out. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas of '07

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, it is the property of Gainax. Any characters in this fiction are mine, and if they bear any resemblence to characters of other fictions or real people, it is coincidental

Preread by YouarenotasrandomasI

Now, (finally) on with the show!

* * *

The morning after the Angel attack, all personnel were hard at work with the cleanup of the mess from the battle. The remains of the Angel was being wiped away, and they were cautiously moving Eva 01 to the hangars where it was frozen in case it activated on its own again 

Misato was watching the proceedings with a grim look. The monster was silent as the crew began to wrap the exposed parts and clean of the blood on the armor that was left. She was not in a particularly good mood as many people noticed. She turned to see that a Section 2 agent was waiting

"Ma'am," he said respectfully, "The Commander wishes to speak with you"

The woman was in no mood to talk to anyone, especially the bastard that caused so much pain and suffering for the pilots, who were little more than children. Yet, Misato knew that to refuse could get her fired and someone incompetent to watch over the children

"At least the children are fine," she muttered in a low tone as she walked toward the Commander's Office

* * *

Flashback 

"Quickly, get me a visual of the entry plug!" Ritsuko demanded quickly when the Eva began to shut down

The tone in the doctor's voice made Misato ask, "What has happened to Shinji?"

Cringing, the doctor said, "There was only one other case of a pilot having a synch score greater than 100"

A sense of dread filling her to the core, the purple-haired woman asked, "What happened?"

"The pilot was absorbed into the Eva," the faux blonde said, not looking at Misato, "The body was broken down and turned into LCL"

Staggered by the news, she looked up to see the Eva kneeling in its kill, eyes no longer glowing with a predatory gleam. The dread that filled her increased as she thought of what had happened to Shinji.

Sai, meanwhile, was working through a few simulations, smiling at some of the results. He had overheard the doctor's statement, and knew some very good news. However, he would withhold that information until it was verified. Most likely he'd be killed, but he had health insurance.

A moment later, he heard a technician say, "We've got a connection, putting visual on screen now"

To Ritsuko's shock and Misato's joy, Shinji floated in the LCL of his entry plug, perfectly fine even though he was unconscious.

Sinking to her knees, the purple-haired woman had tears of relief sliding down her cheeks as she said, "Thank god, he's alright"

On the intercom, shouting in a loud voice, Asuka demanded, _"Is Shinji alright?"_

Snapping out of her daze, Ritsuko told her that he was unconscious and would be taken to the infirmary. After hearing this, the red-head demanded that someone get her out of her plug. Taking a deep breath, Misato got back to her feet.

"I want a full checkup on him," she said, "Even if was just a coincidence, I want to make sure that he wasn't affected by the high synch score"

The doctor nodded in agreement, desperate to find out how Shinji avoided the fate that took his mother away, "I will do the checkups myself"

As the doctor walked out of the command center, Misato turned to see that Sai was scratching his chin as he stared at his monitor. A sudden curiosity filled her as she walked over to the boy. Even though she didn't have a degree like Ritsuko, she still understood that the figures were involved in monitoring the vital signs of a person.

"Were you checking on the pilots?" Misato asked

Jerking his head at the sound of her voice, the tech Avatar replied, "Uh, yeah. It's our job, remember?"

Narrowing her eyes, the woman asked, "Did you know this would happen?"

Knowing she meant the abnormal synch score, he answered in the affirmative, "However, we were planning on having more than just Hunter out there to help"

"So what do you know about this high synch score?"

Shrugging, Sai replied, "Figured this might happen. I actually gave it a forty-eight percent chance of it actually happening"

Shaking her head, Misato asked, "And if Shinji had been absorbed?"

"We had a plan for that too," he replied smoothly, "Have some faith, we've got everything covered"

End Flashback

* * *

Standing in front of the door to the Commander's office, she took a deep breath before entering. Fuyutsuki was talking with Ritsuko and looked up when Misato entered. 

"So, where's the commander?" Misato inquired

Fuyutsuki replied, "He will be along shortly. He just went out to check on something"

Sighing, the purple-haired woman walked further into the room and asked Ritsuko, "So how's Shinji doing?"

Looking up, the doctor replied, "He's awake, but he can't recall what happened when the Eva awakened"

She said the last word gingerly, a topic she still wasn't quite comfortable with. And truthfully, Misato wasn't all that well with it either

"What about the other pilots?"

"Touji is recovering well from his incident," the doctor replied, taking a look at the clipboard she carried, "He'll be out of bed by the end of the day. Rei has headaches, but they are receding and she should be okay, but will be confined to bed rest for some time. Hunter's being treated by Keevan, but he's in good condition"

"That's good to hear," Misato said with a sigh, "How's the kid doing? He's been working nonstop since the other day"

"He's ready to drop," Ritsuko replied, shaking her head, "but Keevan said that he was going to check up on the other pilots before he stopped. Honestly, he's just a kid"

"They're all children," Misato mumbled in a low tone, "why should this be any different"

Just then, the door opened and Gendo stepped into the room. Misato bristled a little at the man before noticing many distinct changes about him. The most prominent was the band of graying hair on the sides and back of his head.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," Gendo said, surprising the women. They had never so much as heard the Commander saying sorry before

The man walked quickly and quietly to his desk. Sitting down, he turned to face the group in front of him. Ritsuko knew that this couldn't be the commander, he was too different. Misato was wary of some trick the detestable man could pull.

"What I am about to tell you will be unbelievable," he said after a moment of silence, "But I can assure you that everything is true"

He then shocked the women by telling them, "I am the alternate version of the Gendo Ikari of this world. I was given the chance to amend my mistakes by the Avatars"

For the next hour, Gendo wove them a story that left the woman speechless

* * *

Nerv Infirmary 

Staggering a little, Keevan marched out of Hunter's room, where he'd just helped Hunter heal faster. Yawning, the little boy's eyes drooped from a great deal of fatigue. He'd been working nonstop on helping everyone for more than twenty-four straight hours. On the verge of collapse, he stumbled on, determined to finish his rounds.

His balance slipped, and he began to tilt over. Before going completely horizontal, he was caught by a pair of slender arms. Looking up, he realized that his glasses had fallen off, but he could see a blue blur on the head of the person holding him.

"Rei," Keevan said wearily, "Aren't you supposed to be in bed?"

Pulling him upright, the girl replied, "I am well enough; it is you who should be resting"

His head nodding, Keevan didn't notice as Rei led him into her recently vacated room. He let himself be put into bed as he yawned

"I can't," the boy said, trying to sit up, "I still have to check the others"

Pushing him back down, Rei replied, "You will be unable to work if you're too tired to stand"

Unable to find fault to her logic, and because he was feeling so comfortable, Keevan made no attempts to argue, "Fine, I'll rest, but only for a few minutes"

Rei watched as Keevan closed his eyes. His chest began to rise and fall in the rhythm of deep sleep. Taking the chair, she sat down; setting the glasses he dropped on the table beside the bed. Rei stayed like that, sitting next to the bed Keevan was sleeping on. Upon hearing the door sliding open, the girl turned to see that Rikku was there, a small smile on her face.

"He's pretty stubborn at times, that boy," the Aerolan female said, walking to stand next to Rei, "I hope that he wasn't too bothersome"

Shaking her head, the blue-haired girl replied, "No, Keevan was far too weary to argue. He fell asleep quickly"

"Let him sleep," Rikku told her, "He's been working nonstop and deserves some peace and quiet"

Walking back to the door, she said, "When he wakes up, let him know that he doesn't need to work so much anymore. The others are recovering well enough and they don't want him to kill himself"

Nodding her understanding, Rei turned back to the boy lying on the bed. The blonde woman took one last look back and had a little smirk as she left.

Outside, she exchanged her smirk for a frown as she saw Iak limping with a crutch. Thanks to Keevan's hard work his body was recovering well. That didn't stop Rikku's glare of death

"What are you doing out of bed?"

Shrugging her glare off, the black-winged man replied, "I'm just checking on everyone else"

Grabbing him by the shoulders, Rikku spun Iak around and marched him off, "I don't think so; you need to rest. Even if Keevan fixed you up some, you need to let your body recover on its own"

Letting himself be pushed along, Iak responded, "How much sleep have you had?"

A light flush of embarrassment on her face, she responded, "That doesn't matter; I'm not the one who's body is wrapped like a mummy"

* * *

"You baka!" 

Shinji ducked as Asuka threw another punch, "Ah, gomenasai!"

The two teens were in Shinji's hospital room, and the boy had just woken up to find his girlfriend in a very bad mood. Currently, he was trying to stay alive long enough to explain things

"I told you," he said, dodging behind a chair, "I was trying to protect you"

"And who said I needed protecting?" Asuka demanded, grabbing him and near strangling him

"Gomen," he choked, "Please, I didn't want you to get hurt"

Releasing the boy, the German pilot asked in a surprisingly subdued tone, "And if you had died? Do you realize how much that would hurt me?"

Rubbing his neck, Shinji dropped his eyes to the floor, unable to look at her. Reaching out, Asuka pulled him into a hug, face buried into the crook of his neck

"I love you," she said quietly, "If you weren't there, I don't know what I'd do"

Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, Shinji pulled her closer, "Gomenasai"

"Is that all you can say?" Asuka asked, in a subdued tone

"I did it because _I_ don't know what I'd do without you," Shinji continued, "If I lost you…"

They were both quiet afterwards, holding each other closely. Gently stroking his girlfriend's back, the boy thought of what he could do to make it up to upsetting her.

"I love you so much," he said, voice filled with quiet passion, "I never want to see you hurt or sad. I'd rather die than go through that"

Looking up into his eyes, Asuka responded, "I know, I believe you. It's just, don't you ever do that again"

Kissing her tenderly, Shinji replied, "I promise"

Sighing, Asuka leaned back against his chest with a content smile as he gently stroked her hair. Breathing deeply, Shinji smelled the LCL that caked into her hair, but he wasn't as repulsed as he normally would.

"Do you know when they'll let out of here?"

"I think they want to do a few more tests," the red-head replied, "but you should be out before dinner"

"Good, I hate hospitals"

Chuckling a little, Asuka replied, "I know what you mean"

Their little moment together ended when a doctor entered along with a nurse, "Excuse the interruption, but I still have a few more tests to do on Shinji"

Sighing, Asuka reluctantly pulled away, pausing to give him another kiss and leaving, "I'll be waiting for you back home"

"He might be a little late," the doctor told her, "The Commander wished to speak with him when I've finished"

Frowning, Shinji wondered what his father would want with him, especially after what he had done. Nodding towards Asuka, who frowned before leaving, he relaxed and let the doctor finish his physical examination.

_I wonder what he wants_, he wondered to himself

* * *

Later 

After the doctor had completed his tests, Shinji took a quick shower and changed into his standard school uniform. He took his time because he didn't really want to face his father, not right now, but since he was the commander, it wasn't really a choice. Then again, the Avatars might have something up their sleeves and could be of help.

He now stood before the door that led to the commander's large and imposing office. Taking a deep breath, Shinji opened the door and stepped inside. He was a little surprised to see that Misato and Ritsuko were there as well. Both of them had thoughtful looks on their faces when they turned to look at him.

"Hey Shinji," Misato said, "um, we've got some interesting things to tell you"

Looking around, Shinji noted that his father wasn't here, "Where's the Commander?"

"Er, about that," his guardian began, "I think the best way to put it is that the Avatars have dealt with the problem in their own way"

"What do you mean?" Shinji asked as he heard the door sliding open behind him

"It means, that there has been…change"

Turning, the boy saw his father, except that he had aged a great deal. Blinking in surprise, Shinji took a step back when he saw the old man smiling. He felt certain that Third Impact would occur at any moment as he began to feel a little light-headed.

"Relax," Gendo said, "take a seat. We have much to talk about"

Sitting down, Shinji asked, "Who are you?"

Sitting behind the desk, the older man replied, "Biologically speaking I'm your father. Although technically the same as the original, I have a few years more experience"

Letting it sink in, the boy turned to Misato, who told him, "We just found out ourselves not too long ago. Apparently he was our mysterious friend, 'Mr. Cloak', and he's been given a second chance"

"A second chance," Shinji muttered, turning towards Gendo, "What did you do?"

Looking down, he replied, "I've done so many terrible things. I will probably never be able to atone for them, but I only hope for your understanding if not your forgiveness"

He then explained what he had told his Second, Misato and Ritsuko. Shinji attentively listened to everything Gendo was saying. His face grew somber as he heard Gendo tell him the plans he and Seele had made in furthering human evolution. The committee had wanted to create a god-like being by merging every living human soul into one 'perfect' entity. He wanted to bring his wife, Shinji's mother, back and be a complete family in the oneness.

Then Gendo came to the part of the actual battle with Seele's Mass Produced Evas, Asuka's battle with them and subsequent loss. Then he told Shinji about the event called Third Impact, and how all humans were merged into one entity, in which the boy was its center. In the aftermath of the event, in which his alternate version rejected, the three, Gendo, Shinji, and Asuka, were left to fend for themselves in the new world.

Shinji sat there as he absorbed all the information that his father, or rather his alternate version, just told him, "I don't know what to say"

"You don't have to say anything," Gendo replied, "there is nothing I can do to gain your forgiveness, but I hope that we might be able to start anew"

"Excuse me," the teen said after a moment, "I need to think this through"

The adults all watched as Shinji left the conference room. Although the women had concerned looks on their faces, Gendo looked on with an impassive face, but was worried nonetheless.

* * *

Avatar Base 

Asuka looked up as the door to the teens' shared room opened. Standing at the door, Shinji looked at the red-head with an odd expression on his face.

"What's wrong?" she asked

He didn't reply, and instead quickly closed the space between them and pulled her into a passionate kiss. Although shocked at first, Asuka melted into the kiss and put as much force as he did into the kiss. They finally separated from a lack of oxygen, and the red-head peered into Shinji's eyes

"While that was nice," she began, "I'd like to know what the occasion is"

"I love you Asuka," he told her, "no matter what, I will always love and protect you"

Flushing a little, she asked, "What brought this about?"

"Nothing special," Shinji replied, holding her close, "I just realized how bad things could have been"

Not entirely believing him, the red-head wanted to ask him what he meant. Seeing the look on his face, however, made her think twice. Deciding to wait another time to ask him, Asuka just leaned into his embrace and share in their combined warmth and love.

* * *

Finally, got this chapter out. I would like to again apologize for taking so in updating my fanfiction. I would also like to thank everyone who reviewed and were patient with me. Oh, while your at it, go check out my Christmas one-shot, a remake of the Twelve Days. 

Thank you again, and remember to review. Happy Holidays!

Later!


	38. A New Morning

Chapter 38: A New Morning

Wow, it's been a really long time, huh? Well, today's Christmas, and I figured that I might as well as give my readers two, that's right, TWO chapters to make up for my lack of updates. Thank you all for your patience and dealing with my laziness. Now please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters though, and if they bear any resemblence to real life people or characters in other stories, it is merely coincidence.

Preread by YouarenotasrandomasI

* * *

Asuka and Shinji were lying next to each other beneath their tree, staring at the sky through the tree's branches. They were holding each other closely, listening to the sounds of the wind rustling the leaves above them.

"Hey, Shinji-kun," Asuka began, "Do you ever think about the future?"

Turning his head to look at the red-head, he continued to listen as she then asked, "Like, what do we do after all of the Angels are gone?"

Shinji knew why she would ask about something as vague as this. Earlier, he had told her about the new Gendo and how the old man had told him about a possible future for the Eva pilots. Still, it was a reasonable question to ask, and he did have an answer.

"Well, I guess I'd like to graduate from college, maybe get a job as a music teacher. I might even try my hand at writing some compositions." The red-head turned to look at him after he said that, "You really love music."

"And you?"

Turning back to look at the sky, Asuka replied, "I've never really considered the future that much, but I have always wanted to become a doctor. Maybe I'll take college again when the time comes."

"Doctor Sohryu," Shinji tasted the sound of that, "Sounds good."

"I think that Doctor _Ikari_ sounds just as good." The boy turned to look at Asuka as she said that. She didn't look at him, and was playing with the pendent he had given her for her birthday. Smiling, Shinji looked back at the sky.

"Should I take that as a hint?" he asked in jest. Asuka grinned as she replied in a light tone, "Perhaps."

She looked at her watch and sighed, "It's time for us to get to class. If we're late Hikari's going to have kittens."

Getting up, Shinji helped her up, and was still holding her hand as they headed back to the school. It was history class, and with Iak out of commission they had a substitute. Many of the students were disappointed since the sub was also talking about the crap from the Second Impact spiel.

* * *

Nerv HQ

Misato had just received a report about a new pilot to join them here at Nerv. She scanned it again, wondering why there seemed to be something wrong with the information.

The report had just been suddenly sent to them, as thought they expected something like their current situation. Unit's 00 and 02 were put away for repairs, which were estimated to take a little more than a month. Unit 01 was functional, but under lockdown and study, and the Avatars' Evas were all out for the count.

_There are no other Evas, so the only other option would be to have him be a substitute for one of the other pilots._

Setting down her folder, she got up and stretched. The Avatars had made calculations based on Gendo's knowledge of the Angel appearances and their own interferences with their arrival. The next Angel would arrive anywhere between the end of the month and the end of the next.

She got up and stretched as she headed out. She decided to let things play out and see what happens. If anything went wrong, the Avatars would do something about it.

* * *

School

The last class of the day had just ended and the stooges were gathering to speak with Kensuke, the only one in the group of friends that had no knowledge of what was going on at Nerv. With them were Sai and Keevan to help them.

The group of five boys strolled down to the park, where Shinji explained the story to their bespectacled friend. After half an hour they finished their story and was waiting for Kensuke's reaction, however they didn't see him acting all that surprised. Instead, he took a deep breath and looked at them.

"I already knew," the four-eyed boy told them, "I saw Shinji and Asuka disappearing into some weird light some time back."

The boys were staring at him with surprise when Sai recovered and asked, "Right, and you never thought to ask them about this?"

Shrugging, Kensuke acted cool as he told them, "I didn't have any evidence, and I know that without any evidence, I wouldn't get anything out." He then broke the cool act by shouting at Touji, "But you! Why didn't you tell me any of this?!"

Holding his palms out to defend himself, the jock replied, "I only just found out a few days ago, and it's been hectic."

Chuckling, Sai shook his head and told Kensuke, "Relax, we're going to let you in on everything now. Friends don't keep important information from each other."

Raising a brow, the four-eyed stooge didn't see that Sai had opened a portal behind him until he was pushed through. Shinji looked at the tech Avatar as they also walked through, with Touji reluctantly following them through. On the other side of the portal, Kensuke was staring at awe at the high-tech terminals that surrounded him.

"Touch anything and you die," Sai told Kensuke. Setting his bag down, Keevan went to the kitchen to prepare some tea. Meanwhile, the four-eyed stooge had turned to his friends and was firing off questions in quick succession. Each was answered in turn and he was introduced to the other Avatars as they checked the commotion that was going on.

* * *

Meanwhile

Seated upon a bench in the park, a silver-haired boy sat, humming happily to himself. He watched the people pass on by with bright red eyes and gave grins and friendly nods to them as they passed. It took him some time, but he was now instigated at Nerv in Tokyo-3.

The cause for him being sent here at this point was because the Avatars had messed up the schedule for the Angels so greatly. Seele had decided to send him early on, but because their scenario was messed up it took them some time to create some false identification so that no red flags would be raised with Nerv.

Hearing his cell ringing, Kaworu ceased his humming and pulled it out. Taking a look at the caller ID, he flipped it open and greeted with a polite hello. After listening for a moment, he gave a confirmation and cut the connection.

"I wonder," the silver-haired boy wondered aloud to himself, "what will it be like to meet these unusual Lilims?"

Sensing something to his left, he turned his head and spotted a girl dressed in a school uniform staring at him. Glaring might actually be a better term for the way she looked at him. He smiled, for Kaworu knew who she was, and what her role was in Gendo's plans.

He gave a courteous wave and a smile before he turned and walked away. After a few moments, he felt her presence move in an opposite direction from him.

* * *

The Next Day

"I think letting Kensuke in on us was a mistake," Keevan said as the bespectacled boy continued to bug Sai as they all walked to school together.

Asuka rolled her eyes as she replied, "The four-eyed stooge is annoying, but as long as it's someone else…"

Holding her hand, Shinji chuckled as he tried to defend his friend, "He's not always that bad. Kensuke did say that he was going to keep quiet around other people."

Touji and Hikari were behind them as they looked back at Sai and Kensuke. The four-eyed annoyance was pestering the computer specialist with a torrent of questions that grated his ears.

"Eh, let's leave them be," the jock said, turning his eyes back to in front of him, "Those two geeks can talk techno back there."

He grimaced as Hikari dug her elbow into his ribs, a reprimanding look in her eyes. The others chuckled as he sheepishly scratched the back of his head. Behind them, Sai was feeling anything but humor as Kensuke continued to babble on.

"Have you ever been to an alternate version of this world? Oh, what am I like? I bet I was a great Eva pilot right?"

Groaning, Sai covered his face and silently begged to whatever deity was in existence on this plane of reality to save him. It was nonstop questions almost ever since Kensuke had been shown the secret, and he was silently plotting multiple murders.

The questions began to slow as they neared the school. Although the bespectacled boy wanted more answers, he remembered his promise not to speak of it to others. However, that didn't stop him from texting Sai. Every. Single. Minute.

_I swear I'm going to rip out his computer's CPU and just…_

Before his thoughts could finish processing, the teacher spoke up with an announcement of a new student. Catching the pilot's expressions, he shook his head and shrugged bemusedly. He didn't think that there was going to be a new student, and it certainly wouldn't be an Avatar.

The teacher, a substitute for the still recovering Iak, said, "Please welcome your new classmate."

The door slid open an in stepped a slender boy with pale skin and gray hair. In her window seat, Rei stiffened slightly. If one were to say something, it would be that Rei would be doing the equivalent of glaring at the new kid. Yet there was no one to say, because everyone was staring at the odd new kid.

"Greetings," he said with a grin, "My name is Kaoru Nagisa. It's a pleasure to join this class."

He then bowed to the class. Instructed by the teacher, Kaoru took a seat next to Asuka. Although she gave him a friendly smile, the red-head could not help but feel as though there was something very strange about the boy.

In their seats, both Keevan and Sai shared a look before the class returned to their lecture.

* * *

After School

Silently weeping, Sai dragged his feet as Kensuke trailed behind him, still firing off a dozen questions a minute. He had been 'volunteered' to escort the four-eyed boy home. It was a majority vote; the reason: They didn't want him around the base.

He knew the reason, but he cursed the others in every language that he knew after he dropped Kensuke off at his apartment complex.

"Finally free from him," Sai cried out with joyous relief. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his cell when he heard footsteps behind him

"Damn it Aida," he began warningly, "If you ask one more stupid thing-"

"Then may I ask you something?"

Standing there, hands in his pockets and a grin on his face was Kaoru. His threat dying on his tongue, Sai pushed his phone back into his pocket and turned completely to face him.

"Alright," he said blandly, "What is it?"

Still smiling, the pale boy stepped up to Sai's face, and then asked his question, "You are not of this realm. For what reason have you come?"

"Because," Sai responded simply.

Chuckling, Kaoru said, "So because you can, you do this."

"Do you know for what your purpose you were made for?" Sai asked.

"I do," the angel replied, "I am destined to either end the human race, or to die so that they may continue."

Shifting his feet, Sai then told him, "You don't have to do this. You are a being of free will; we are the agents of the same thing. We can help you change."

Still having a pleasant smile on his face, Kaoru turned around and began to walk away. As he left, the angel leaves Sai with his own opinion.

"I know I have a choice. And I have chosen to do what it is that I desire."

As with that, Kaoru disappeared into the alleys of Tokyo-3. Sighing slightly, Sai turned around and pulled out his cell and activated his portal. Within moments, he was back at base.

* * *

That Night

An emergency meeting was declared. At the moment, only the Avatars were awake. The pilots and others had gone to bed.

Speaking up first, Cairn asked the question that was hanging in the air, "So, what now?"

"Well," Hunter said, scratching his chin, "We could try to get him over to our side."

Waving the idea aside, Sai told him, "Already tried it. Remember, he's the one angel with the most freedom. And he wants to do his job."

"Scrap that idea then," Shuri-Shara said, "He's most likely to be recruited. So we should tell Nerv."

"Gendo at least," Rikku added, "Remember, this is his scenario."

"What are the probable reactions to him getting killed now?"

Everyone took a few moments to look at Kaitos and think on his unusual query. Hunter was the first to reply.

"Not likely to have possible repercussions," he scratched his head, "Though there's the flipside that things will turn out better."

The youngest Avatar spoke up, "But he hasn't done anything. And he said that he would do what he wanted to do, and that doesn't mean he'll do anything detrimental."

"I don't like this," the crippled Avatar said with a cough, "There are too many variables. We can't make a safe move without knowing what could possibly happen."

"Then we will simply observe."

They all looked up at Iak, who up to this point had been silent, as he continued, "It's a delicate situation. However, remember that our jobs are supposed to be uncertain. Our lives and those around us are variable, so we shall allow time to flow and then we will do what we do best."

"We improvise," Hunter declared with a smirk, "well, I suppose that's that."

With that, the Avatars split up and then went to bed to await the mysteries of the next day. What they did not realize, was that the next day would be the weirdest, and probably the worst day for the otherworlders possible.

* * *

Thank you all for reading! Remember, there's another chapter, so please read and review! Oh, and there's the new Christmas fic I got out, please check it out!

Later!


	39. Random Encounters

Chapter 39: Random Encounters

Thank you all for your patience! And now, for the chapter 39!

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does. I do own all original characters though, and if there is any resemblence to real people or to characters in other stories, it is merely coincidence.

Preread by YouarenotasrandomasI

Now, on with the show!

* * *

In a darkened room, twelve monoliths, each with its own individual number from one to twelve, spoke in regards to the situation at hand.

"The seventeenth has made contact with one of the Avatars," Seven said, "They attempted to coerce him to join them."

Number Six then spoke up with a vicious snarl, "Tabris had best not forget his role in our scenario."

"Never fear," One reassured, "His freedom is why he was selected. He must follow the destiny of his kind, yet he is allowed to do as he pleases. By befriending Ikari's son, he will break him and lead our scenario back on schedule."

"Ah, but freedom is a double-edged sword."

There was shocked silence as a figure appeared in the center of the circle of monoliths. Getting over the shock, one of them shouted for guards to remove the intruder. When no one came into the room, he returned to shocked silence.

Laughing wildly, the intruder said, "I just gave them the freedom to do what they wish. You'd be surprised how many of them wanted a vacation. Work on your vacation clause in your contracts; otherwise you'll have a lot of grumpy guards."

"Why are you here Avatar?" One said menacingly, hoping to intimidate him. He was therefore disconcerted when the man just chuckled.

"Avatar? Nope!" the figure then proceeded to spin himself in a circle, arms stretched wide.

"Wheeeeee!"

The members of Seele then proceeded to watch as the young man giggled and spun around like a five year old boy. After a moment, the person stopped and stared right back at them.

"Oh I can see the looks of confusion on your faces," he said with a smirk, "And I know, it's confusing. I'm confused too! In fact, I get confused a lot."

There was a look of intense thought as the young man continued to babble on, "Confusion is such an oddity. But it's normal for anyone to get confused. Bemused, bewildered, puzzled, etc."

"What are you babbling about?" Ten said with a tone of wariness in his voice.

"Eh," he responded, as though only just noticing them, "Oh, wow! A ring of floating monoliths!"

"Identify yourself at once," One demanded in the most authoritarian voice he could muster.

Lesser men would have cowered before the voice of the would-be god, but the young man before him merely smirked. Spinning around once more, the man spoke to them, the seriousness in his voice that did not match his childish antics.

"I am simply the freest person in all of existence," he stated simply, "And I will topple your empire like a block tower a child would build."

As though to emphasize his point, he threw a couple of blocks into the air, juggling them before dropping them. Then with a cheery wave he kicked the blocks around.

"A question for you," he said in a gleeful voice, "What would you call a free person, one who was free from everything?"

"A fool," was One's immediate response.

"Me," the other said, "I am bound by nothing. Yet, that presents my paradox: How does one who can't be bound by anything be described as anything but chaos? I am unbound, yet still bound by my ideas of my shape. So like the saying goes, the mind is no more than the plaything of the body."

With that, the man bowed, and then disappeared, his voice echoing his last words, "Freedom will prevail. As will Love, Friendship, Courage, and so forth."

There was silence before One spoke again, "This meeting is at an end. We will have to continue at another tome. Find our guards and have them disposed and replaced immediately."

And then there was darkness and silence.

* * *

Avatar Base

It was the weekend, and the morning was mostly quiet. The quiet sounds were very lulling, inviting more sleep. To Shinji, who was holding a cuddling Asuka, he would love to do nothing more than that, but he smelled something in the air that caused him to gulp in dread.

Gently pulling himself away from his sleeping beauty, Shinji tiptoed out the door to their room and down the hallway. There, he could see a small, but very noticeable, trail of smoke coming from the kitchen.

"Who in the world?"

No one dared to allow Misato to cook, and everyone was, to a degree, adept at the ways of the kitchen. So it came as a surprise to see smoke coming from what smells to be burning…cereal?

And lo and behold, he saw a bowl filled to the brim with cereal and milk that was somehow smoldering. His jaw dropping, Shinji looked up to see an odd man with a bemused expression on his face.

The young man appeared to be no more than twenty. His black hair was spiked and pointing in all directions. He also possessed black eyes that sparkled with unheard laughter at a secret joke only he knew. Turning to face the boy, the man smiled and then chuckled.

"Burnt cereal?" he asked with a joking tone.

Shinji stared at him, then to the bowl, filled with milk, that was somehow still smoking. He could even see a few embers floating in the milk.

"Ok, what's burning?"

Sai stepped into the kitchen and wrinkled his nose at the smoke in the air, "Dear lord, what is that?"

"Toast?"

Stopping dead in his tracks, Sai looked up to see the odd man that Shinji had noted as well. Jaw dropping, the Avatar rubbed his eyes before starting anew.

"You?!"

Sticking his tongue out, the man then took a deep breath. Sensing the impending shout, Shinji covered his ears in time to save his eardrums from the ensuing shout.

"RISE AND SHINE. WAKEY WAKEY, EGGS AND BACY!!"

There was an assortment of cries of shock and shrieks of surprise as people started to clamber out of their rooms.

"What was that for?" Shara grumbled irritably, "It's Saturday, and it's not even noon."

"I didn't," Sai replied, rubbing his ears, "It was him!"

The man had vanished. The young kunoichi rolled her eyes as she stared at the bowl, still smoldering, on the countertop.

"What's that, one of Kaitos' experiments?"

"Please," the cripple replied dryly, "I at least put away stuff if I finished with an experiment."

Asuka, who was grumpy at being forcibly woken and hunger, turned her ire onto Shinji.

"What's going on?" she said, grabbing his shirt, "Why'd you wake us up?"

"YAHOOOOO~"

Everyone jumped and turned to see a man standing on the ceiling. The reactions were very mixed. The older Avatars had looks of shock and horror, while the younger ones seemed to be a mixture of amusement and bewilderment.

To the staff of Nerv, they were absolutely confused. And Misato made her confusion known.

"Who is that, and why is he sticking to the ceiling?"

"Oh," the man said in a casual tone, "I'm not on the ceiling."

Before anyone could reply, Iark, Hunter, and Cairn all shouted frantically, "YES YOU ARE!!"

Looking 'down' then 'up', the man opened his mouth in mock shock. He then summarily fell on his head to the floor.

The younger Avatars chuckled slightly as the older ones shook their heads in exasperation. The others were getting more confused.

"What the hell is going on?" the red-head demanded.

"Oh it's very easy," the man said, suddenly appearing behind her, "I'm their boss, so to speak, and I came to visit them."

The girl jumped in surprise, grabbing hold of Shinji. The man chuckled wildly as he proceeded to handstand on the wall.

"He's the strongest being in all of existence," a voice suddenly announced from nowhere, "the one with the most freedom, the first to see infinity, and has the most friends ever!"

All of the lights went out and a spotlight shone 'down' on the man. Fireworks burst behind him as a loud fanfare played from nowhere. Then neon lights lit up behind him, spelling the word 'First'.

"Council number One," the announcer said again, "The one, and only, KAI!!"

There was applause, not coming from anyone in the group, and the fanfare reached their crescendo as Kai took a bow.

And just as suddenly as it started, it ended. Everything suddenly returned to normal as though none of it ever actually occurred. Dazed, Misato stepped past Kai, grabbed a can of beer, popped it and downed it in a single gulp.

"Okay," she said, having some alcohol in her system, "What was that?"

"My introduction," Kai said, "Too much too soon?"

"YES!"

Jerking his head around, he saw the irritated looks on the faces of the older Avatars. He then proceeded to weep and mope.

"But, but, it was a good intro…"

Deadpanning, Asuka asked, "This baka is your boss?"

Groaning, Hunter answered, "Unfortunately, yes. Meet Kai, the First Council, and the nuttiest guy you'll never meet."

"Huh?"

Jumping to his feet, the self-proclaimed freest man began to circle the two pilots. He looked them up and down. He stopped and nodded, apparently satisfied with what he'd seen.

"Ah love," he said in a sappy voice, "What wonders it is. It makes me want to sing."

"NO SINGING!"

It shocked Kai, who pouted and stomped his foot like a little child. This caused the children to laugh.

Shaking her head, Rikku asked, "Why are you here?"

"Hmmm," he said, looking away, "Is it that bad to want to check up on the characters in your story from time to time?"

"Huh?"

Smiling, Kai responded, "Nothing. I was in the vicinity and thought I'd come by and check up on you."

"So," Iark said warily, "You're not staying?"

"You want me to?"

"NO!"

Pouting, Kai disappeared. Hunter groaned as he started up the coffee machine. Sai and Kaitos sat down and buried their faces in their hands. As for the others, the ninjas returned to their room, and Keevan walked up to Shinji to start up breakfast.

Misato, shaking her head, turned to Iak and Rikku for an explanation. Understanding the look given to them, Iak led the four Nerv employees out onto the balcony to talk.

The brisk wind helped wake up the four of whatever fatigue was left on them. Iak simply leaned against the railing as he awaited their questions.

"Okay," Misato started, "Who was that?"

"The First Council," the winged man replied, "You remember Mimaru?"

Misato shivered, "Yes. You said that she was the second most powerful person on this council. So, he's the first?"

Rubbing his face, Iak replied, "Unfortunately, the most powerful of them has a tendency to act like an immature kid. And sometimes like some schizophrenic idiot who had five gallons of coffee, five pounds of sugar, and watched the latest anime episode."

"More like after watching a marathon."

They all jumped in surprise as Kai suddenly appeared on the railing. He had a grin on his face as he made a handstand and spoke to Iak.

"Did you really think I'd leave _that_ quickly?"

"Actually," the winged man retorted dryly, "I didn't. But, with all else being equal, there was a fair chance you'd actually do so."

Sticking his tongue at him, the odd man, who was now floating upside down, then said, "I'll leave when I feel like it."

"Then mess

at least around."

don't

Iak took a moment to compose himself before attempting to continue.

you messing

with

"Would stop

this?"

The two pilots and Misato took a moment to rub their ears as they tried to understand what was coming out of Iak's mouth. Judging by the look on Kai's face, it was becoming quite obvious why the words seemed wrong.

going

"What's

on?"

A rightly confused Misato attempted to ask, only to find that her sentences seemed to have something wrong with them as well. Chuckling, the immature Council rolled in the air, holding his sides as he cracked up.

This lasted until something heavy and blunt struck him in the head. Iak, having lost his patience, had picked up a pipe and struck Kai in the head as hard as he could. The man had a comical look as he fell over the side and over the railing.

"There," Iak said with a sigh, "now it sounds normal again."

Misato, who was still looking over the edge, asked, "Why did that actually work?"

Rolling his eyes, Iak went back inside, saying, "He's impossible. What else do you need to know?"

* * *

Later

After the loud awakening caused by Kai, he was seen throughout the day. And he was always doing something odd, weird, strange, but mostly funny.

Sai spotted him in the park making sandcastles; with living sand people living in sand villages and having a war with another sand kingdom. Keevan had opened a book at the library and found a picture of the man inside it waving to him; he had shoved the book into a shelf and left to the muffled cries of help. To this day, the staff still believes that that particular bookshelf was haunted.

Rei, who had not yet formally been introduced to him, had her hand shaken and was given the tie that he was wearing while walking through a park. Later that day, she saw him again, and made to return the tie, only to find that Kai was wearing the same one.

"Oh," he had simply said before asking, "When was this?"

After receiving his answer, he nodded, gave her a wide grin, and then vanished.

Hikari was in shock for most of the day, as Kai had appeared in the television program that her younger sister was watching and was having a conversation with her about the prospects of education.

Touji and Kensuke were not spared either. The jock had his rear handed to him in a game of basketball that defied the laws of continuity, while the bespectacled boy had all of his pictures on his hard drive, which was triple encrypted and had fourteen passwords to access it, replaced with several video versions of the Numa Numa Dance and Caramelladansen.

And he was in every single video clip.

By the end of the day, everyone had had enough. They collected together at the Avatar's base as they conversed, or complained, about his annoyance.

Grumbling a few choice curses in German, Asuka said, "The bastard's everywhere. He's driving me nuts."

Shaking his head, Kaitos replied, "It can't be helped. He's a literal free spirit. We can't stop him from doing anything."

"He's a grade-A fruitcake," Shuri-Shara responded, the temperament of the kunoichi taking over, "All he's doing is nonsense."

"No," Hunter said with a resigned look, "If anything, he's a genius. He plans every single one of his moves. Kai's planning something."

"Oro? And why do you think I have anything planned?"

Like clockwork; Kai appears, everyone jumps in surprise, and Kai has a good long laugh. Once the cycle had finished, Iak demanded answers.

"What are you doing?"

Frowning, Kai scratched his chin in thought, "What am I doing?"

"You've clearly wanted to gather us all together for some reason," Cairn said, "You've ticked us off, and bugged the others enough that they came to us for answers. So, what is it?"

Laughing, the man floated in the air and told them, "Just a temporary reassignment for some of the Avatars."

The normal people were confused while the non-natives were more understanding. The ninja demanded to know why he couldn't have told them in a normal way.

Instead of answering, Kai decided to just spin in place. In midair. While singing the national anthem. In a very bad and off tone.

"Arghh!" the ninja screamed in frustration, "You ruined my room with your attempt to get our attention! I demand you fix it!"

"What'd he do?" Shinji asked, as he had heard the Avatar's scream of outrage earlier.

"Upside down, inside out, everything every which way." Kai sang in a horrible voice.

Asuka nodded in understanding. While she and Shinji were out for a walk, they encountered the man on just about every street corner. And he was drawing graffiti on the walls. It was not to be said that Kai wasn't artistic…It was that all of the pictures involved the two of them on several different versions of dates. Nothing explicit; and the worst he did was do a picture of them at the beach, where they were both making out.

"Okay," Kai said, suddenly appearing at the nearest door, "The three to be reassigned, please step forward when your name is called."

He was wearing a drill sergeant's uniform, glasses, and holding a notepad. By this point, the surprise generated by his sudden and spontaneous actions had begun to wear off on the natives.

"Hunter," he said, reading his list, "You are reassigned to TKB 53F4. Shuri-Shara to MKN 02F3 and Kaitos to HAFMA 64F0."

The three in question shared looks before standing up. Touji, however, stood up and shouted in protest.

"Hold on a second! Why the hell did you bring us into this if you're just going to reassign them?!"

His head turning around 180 degrees, cracking in ways that caused everyone to wince, Kai replied, "I was bored."

Silence ensued as they looked at the man with his head pointing in the wrong direction. In shock, Hikari fell over in a dead faint, Touji catching her just before she hit the ground.

"Don't do that with your head!"

Shrugging, Kai continued his head's rotation until it was back to its original position, "Very well, Kaitos, Hunter, Shuri-Shara, let's go!"

"Hang on," Kaitos said with a grimace, "Let us pack first."

They went into their rooms, none of them seeing the mischievous grin on the Councilman's face. Iak took notice and tried to warn them, but it was for naught. Just as his warning got to them, their doors opened and swallowed them up.

Then, the doors separated from the walls and began to walk towards the living room. There was fanfare and music as Kai danced around.

"Mein Gott," Asuka said in a deadpan, "What next?"

The first door, which belonged to the ninja twins, fell flat on the floor and was then raised up on a column. Everyone backed away as the other two followed suit. Then, having changed his attire to look like a circus clown, Kai began to twist and turn a random crankshaft, causing the pillars to rotate and move.

By this point, everyone had recognized that Kai had turned the entire contraption into what appeared to be a series of cannons.

"Fire in the hole!"

The first cannon fired out a silver orb. As it passed everyone, who had run out of the way, they could see and hear a screaming ninja. In quick succession, two more screaming orbs were fired. Outside, three holes in the sky could be seen where the cannonballs had gone through.

Everyone stared blandly at the loudly laughing man. Clapping his hands twice, he returned the room back to order, with the exception of three doors being missing.

"And with that," he said, again changing his attire, this time to that of a British gentlemen and had a posh and polite accent, "I must bid thee, a sad and teary farewell."

He broke the look by whooping and dropping into a spontaneously created hole. It then rose from the floor to become another cannon. Once again, everyone else dived for cover as it fired.

"Hey, I can see my house from here!"

The holes in the sky had shrunk down to nothing as he passed them, quickly disappearing into the dark sky. Just as everyone thought that that was the last they'd heard from him, he shouted out one more.

"I'm blasting away again~!"

Everyone stared at the speckle of light for the few moments that it was in existence before Asuka summed up the situation in one simple sentence.

"Mein Gott, what a freak."

* * *

THANK YOU ALL!!! And thank you for your patience! Please read and review, and don't forget to check out my newest Christmas fic!

Later! And have a very Merry Christmas of '08!!


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